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EspañolNEW YEAR'S EVE
(Redirected from New Years\' Eve)
'New Year's Eve' is December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year, and the day before New Year's Day.
New Year's Eve is a separate observance from the observance of New Year's Day. In 21st-century Western practice, New Year's Eve is celebrated with parties and social gatherings spanning the transition of the year at midnight.
Many cultures use fireworks and other forms of noise making in part of the celebration in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, London, Edinburgh, Istanbul, Berlin, Paris, Athens, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Manila, New York City, Las Vegas, Taipei, Hong Kong, Seoul, Chicago, San Rafael, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, Valparaiso, Niagara Falls, Ontario and Montreal.
New Year's Eve is a public non-working holiday in the following countries, among others: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Greece, the Philippines, and Venezuela.
Each major city around Australia holds New Year’s Eve celebrations, usually accompanied by a fireworks display amongst other events. Perth's fireworks are let off from barges along the Swan River, whilst 50,000 people annually gather at sites around the Brisbane River in the city to watch a fireworks display while events are held in the city and at Southbank. The two largest New Year's Eve celebrations in Australia are held in its two largest cities, Melbourne and Sydney.
See NewYearsEve Australia
With crowds of well over 1 million people, Sydney has arguably the second largest New Year celebrations worldwide, after Rio de Janeiro (which attracts over 3 million people on Copacabana Beach; New York and London both average crowds between 800,000 and 1,000,000). Celebrators benefit from the harbour city's warm summer weather and natural amphitheatre. Kiribati is the first country to welcome to the new year, as it lies between the Australian time zone and the International Date Line. Over 80,000 fireworks are traditionally set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and six other firing points covering 6km along Sydney Harbour. The event can be seen from a 16km radius around Sydney and attracts an average of 300,000 international tourists each year. The Harbour of Lights Parade adds to the attraction as cruise boats covered in fairy lights cruise the centre of the harbour all night. These vessels have the prime position for the evening.
Sydney has recently been acknowledged by numerous media sources as having the world's best New Year celebrations, topping the list of cities such as New York City, Edinburgh, Paris, and London.
In 2006/07, the Sydney New Year's Eve event co-ordinators used over AUD 4 Million to deliver its largest fireworks display, consisting of two fireworks shows at 9pm and at midnight. The display stretched across six barges positioned at vantage points along the harbour foreshore, making it the largest New Years Eve fireworks display in the world. The Sydney Harbour Bridge forms an integral part of the fireworks display, with special recognition in 2007 of the 75th anniversary of the bridge's opening.
The theme for the 2007/2008 celebration will be the 100th anneversary of Lifesavers in Australia.
Melbourne holds New Year's Eve celebrations spread out at various locations along the Yarra River at the Docklands, Federation Square, Alexandra Gardens, Birrarung Marr, Southbank, Waterfront City and New Quay. More recently these celebrations, including live music and fireworks, have grown bigger and now attract crowds of 500,000 - 600,000, making it the second largest New Year's Eve celebrations in Australia.
For the 2006/07 celebrations, separate fireworks displays were held at 9:00 and midnight with fireworks let off the top of the Eureka Tower and Federation Square, many locations along the Yarra River and the Docklands, whilst live music and other events continued from the early evening into the early hours of the morning.
Other events around Melbourne include the Pyramid Rock Festival , which is held around New Year’s Eve on Phillip Island.
New Year's Eve (''Véspera de Ano Novo'') is one of the most traditional holidays in Brazil. In most Brazilian cities, even those of medium size, there is a major display of fireworks after midnight, and special musical shows. The most famous celebration is at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. The city of São Paulo also has a famous worldwide event: the Saint Silvester Marathon (''Corrida de São Silvestre''), which traverses streets between Paulista Avenue and the downtown area. It is contested by athletes of many countries, including such Olympic stars as the Kenyan runner Paul Tergat, who won it five times.
In Canada, families usually gather and celebrate New Year's Eve together. Often, several families will come together and celebrate in a large party. Parties usually involve fireworks and light shows. Many Canadians see New Year's Eve (and Christmas) as a time of family reunion and have a great feast. They will usually spend a great deal of time eating at home (in French, this feast is called ''Réveillion''). However, traditions vary from region to region. For instance, in Ottawa, younger residents often head to the Market area downtown and crowd bars and nightclubs. In Quebec, ''le Jour du Nouvel An'' is celebrated with the family and friends, and the exchange of gifts is common. In rural and remote areas, people often take their snowmobiles to high hills, set up the barbecues, and roast steaks or hotdogs. In some areas, such as in rural Quebec, people ice fish and drink with their friends until the early hours of January 1st. Toronto, Montreal and Niagara Falls, Ontario also have fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
The Danes usually celebrate New Year's Eve, or ''nytårsaften'' in Danish, with their families or, more commonly nowadays, with their close friends, with fireworks and champagne. The evening meal on New Years Eve is often more exclusive, and often consists of three courses; traditional deserts include Marzipan ring cake (''Danish: kransekage, lit.: ring cake''). Danes often watch the Queen's New Years Speech on television. The climax is when the clock on the Copenhagen City Hall reaches twelve, and the gathered people at the square cheer. As in Germany the national television station DR1 broadcasts Dinner for One (''in Danish: 90 års fødselsdagen (lit.: The 90th birthday))''.
Ecuador celebrates a unique tradition on the last day of the year. Elaborate effigies, called Anos Viejos(Old Years) are created to represent people and events from the past year. Often these include political characters or leaders that the creator of the effigy may have disagreed with. The dummies are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes, with paper mache masks. Often they are also stuffed with fire crackers. At midnight the effigies are lit on fire to symbolize burning away of the past year and welcoming of the new year.
The origin of the tradition is unknown, but is similar to that of the British Guy Fawkes Night. It is possible the tradition began after a yellow fever epidemic left many dead. The corpses were then disposed of by burning.
Another well known tradition is the “Widow” which is usually a man dressed up as a woman who has to make people laugh by crying a lot. Then the public or people around will give this “widow” some sort of charity for her assumedly mentally insane husband.
Other rituals are performed for the health, wealth, prosperity and protection of each member. These rituals are the following:
Twelve grapes: Each person eats twelve grapes before midnight, making a wish with each grape.
Yellow panties: One of the most popular traditions, yellow panties are said to attract positive energies for the New Year.
Suitcase: Walking around the block with the suitcase will bring the person the journey of their dreams.
The French call New Year's Eve ''la Saint-Sylvestre''. It is usually celebrated with a feast called ''le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre''.
This feast customarily includes special dishes and drinks like champagne and foie gras. The celebration can be a simple, intimate dinner with friends and family or a much fancier ball (''une soirée dansante'').
On ''le Jour de l'An'' (New Year's Day), friends and family exchange New Year's resolutions and sometimes gifts.
The holiday period ends on January 6 for the Epiphany. On this day, they traditionally enjoy a type of cake that varies depending on where you are in France.
The Germans call the New Year's Eve 'Silvester'. Since 1972, each New Year's Eve, German television has broadcast a short video, ''Dinner for One'' in English. A punch line from the comedy sketch, "same procedure as every year", has become a catch phrase in Germany. Gesundheit to an old favourite Moreover in Berlin, the largest New Year's Eve celebration in all of Europe, is celebrated by more than 1,234,567 people attending the festivities each year. A huge firework is started at the Lamp Shade.
In Hong Kong, people usually gather in Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront to see the light works on the skyscrapers along the harbour and to count down to the New Year at spots like Times Square and Ocean Terminal.
Hong Kong has been voted to have the best skyline in the world and offers a spectacular display of fireworks and lights among the crowd of skyscrapers for occasions such as New Years Eve, Christmas, Chinese New Year and other special holidays.
Most celebrations take place in the larger cities of India like Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai. People gather at places like, Andheri Sports Complex. Events such as, live concerts and dances by bollywood stars, fireworks and parties take place. Families often get together to celebrate the New Year.
The Red and White Year-end Song Festival (Kōhaku utagassen) is a 50-year-old tradition in which "25 men and 25 women are split into two teams for a seemingly endless warble." The Buddhist temple bells are rung 108 times.
Mexicans down a grape with each of the twelve chime of the bell during the New Year countdown, while making a wish with each one. On New Year's Eve, those who want to find love in the new year wear red underwear and yellow if they want money.
Other traditions include, sweeping the dirt out, taking luggage outside as a symbol of future trips, hanging sheep dolls (mainly made out of wool) in the doorknob for prosperity, among others.
The celebrations are very similar to those of Spain (see below).
Filipinos usually celebrate New Year's Eve with the company of family and close friends. Traditionally, most households stage a dinner party named ''Media Noche'' in their homes. Typical dishes include pancit, ''Jamon'' and if the family could afford it, Lechon, which is usually considered as the centerpiece of the dinner table. Barbecued food is also an integral part of the menu.
Most Filipinos follow a set of traditions that are typically observed during New Year's Eve. Included among these traditions is the customary habit of wearing clothes with circular patterns like polka dots, this signifies the belief that circles attract money and fortune. Traditions also include the serving of circularly-shaped fruits, shaking of coins inside a metal casserole while walking around the house, jumping high which is believed to cause an increase in physical height and making loud noises to drive away "evil" spirits among others. Households also spend money to buy firecrackers and pyrotechnics that would be ignited at the strike of midnight.
Cities in urban areas are usually host to many New Year's Eve parties and countdown celebrations which are usually hosted by the private sector with the help of the local government. Notable parties include GMA Network's party at the Plaza Sulayman of Baywalk in Manila. These parties usually display their own fireworks spectacle.
Spanish New Year's Eve (''Nochevieja'', or ''Fin de Año'') celebrations usually begin with a family dinner, traditionally including shrimp and lamb or turkey. Spanish people believe that wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve brings good luck. The actual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of the Casa de Correos building in Puerta del Sol square in Madrid. It is traditional to eat twelve grapes, one on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays, the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonymous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine such as cava or champagne, or alternatively with cider.
After the family dinner and the grapes, many young people attend New Year parties at pubs, discotheques and similar places (these parties are called ''cotillones de nochevieja'', after the Spanish word ''cotillón'', which refers to party supplies like confetti, party blowers, party hats, etc.). Parties usually last until the next morning and range from small, personal celebrations at local bars to huge parties with guests numbering the thousands at hotel convention rooms. Early next morning, party attendees usually gather to have the traditional winter breakfast of ‘’chocolate con churros’’ (hot chocolate and fried pastry).
Many people in Taiwan celebrate the end of the year with concerts in most of the cities and recently using a big screen on the stage to communicate with cities around the island by shouting Happy New Year to each other. The most crowded city is the capital Taipei which most people gather around Taipei 101 located in the shopping and financial area
of Taipei. People gather around the roads around Taipei 101 and together they shout from 10 to zero. With each number they count, one of the layers of Taipei 101 (eight floor per layer) lights up until zero, the fireworks shoot out from the top of each layer (8 layers excluding a layer under the antenna) in different directions
Many parties are organized in Turkey with New Year Trees, Santa Claus items. In big cities such as Istanbul, İzmir and Ankara concerts and shows are performed. Especially in Istanbul's Beyoğlu and Nişantaşı districts new year is celebrated by large festivals, which have large public attendance. In Ankara, people gather in the Kizilay Square for concerts and shows. Fireworks are an important tradition after the count down and in the first minute of the New Year. After midnight people give each other, New Year presents similar to Christmas presents. Besides, the traditional New Year's Eve Meal is turkey with a special pilaf kind.
Many Britons celebrate the New Year by either waiting for Big Ben, or a clock to strike midnight while enjoying the party. Usually, the partygoers will countdown the last ten seconds, by shouting out the numbers from "Ten!" and then as simultaneously Big Ben chimes and zero is reached, shout "Happy New Year!" instead of zero. Amusingly, the countdown is sometimes miscalculated and "One!" is repeated until Big Ben chimes. The chimes are usually accompanied by fireworks.
There are also major celebrations across Scotland where it is known as Hogmanay. The traditional song Auld Lang Syne was written by Robert Burns, a Scottish poet. There are large street parties held in the major cities and Edinburgh and Glasgow are particularly renowned for their celebrations. The Edinburgh Hogmanay Street Party is attended by people from all over the world.
London's celebrations are the most covered. Since the construction of the London Eye, it has been the centre-point of a huge ten-minute fireworks display each year, illuminated with coloured lasers. At the start of 2005, fireworks were launched from the wheel itself for the first time.
Other large cities in Britain such as Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham all have large celebrations. Strangely, Bideford in North Devon, which is tiny in comparison is often described as one of the best places to celebrate this event. The typically quiet town, which used to be the third largest Port in Britain after London and Bristol comes alive with the festivities and its New Year's Eve party draws people from miles around to gather on the quay for the countdown with many people dressing in fancy dress.
In the United States, New Year's Eve is a major social holiday. The top destination for the past three years has been Chicago, according to hotwire.com.[1] In the past 100 years the "ball dropping" on top of One Times Square in New York City, broadcast to all of America (and rebroadcast in many other countries), is a major component of the New Year celebration. The 1,070-pound, 6-foot-diameter Waterford crystal ball (on the right) located high above Times Square is lowered, starting at 23:59:00 and reaching the bottom of its tower at the stroke of midnight (00:00:00). It is sometimes referred to as "the big apple" like the city itself; the custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at noon in harbors.
From 1981 to 1988, New York City dropped an enlarged apple in recognition of its nickname. Since 1972, Dick Clark has hosted televised coverage of the event called ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'', shown on ABC-TV. For about three decades on CBS-TV, Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians serenaded the United States from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City. The song Auld Lang Syne has become a popular song to sing at midnight on New Year's Eve.
'Religious communities.' Many religious communities have a tradition of New Year's Eve being known as "Watch Night." The faithful of the community congregate in worship services commencing New Year's Eve night and continuing past midnight into the new year. The Watch Night is a time for giving thanks for the blessings of the outgoing year and praying for divine favor during the upcoming year. Though held by some to have begun in the African American community, watch night can actually be traced back to a sect of Christians known as the Moravians. The practice was later adopted by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Watch Night did take on special significance to African Americans on New Year's Eve 1862, however, as slaves eagerly awaited the arrival of January 1, 1863 -- the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation. This particular New Year's Eve became known as "Freedom's Eve."[1]
'Singles communities' Organizations that support singles (divorced, separated, never married, or widowed) often have huge New Years Eve parties. For example, Professionals Guild, a social organization devoted to supporting single professionals in Northern California has huge New Years Eve parties in Sacramento and San Ramon, California. Because it is a special event, both couples and singles are welcome at these new year's eve celebrations. The entire first floor of the Sacramento Hilton Hotel is taken over by the party and nobody, except perhaps special guests like airline personnel, are allowed in the hotel, unless they are registered for the party. The party includes new year's eve hats, exhibitors, a big balloon drop, a magician, photographer, videographer, two live bands playing simultaneously in separate rooms, a live DJ in another room, and casino gaming for prizes in a 4th room. The party takes months of planning.
Many cities in the United States of America have their own local version of the celebration, even while keeping an eye on New York, and the New York-centric aspect of the holiday is diminishing. Many cities, echoing the New York tradition of ball drop, also descend or lower an object (or an enlarged representation of an object), usually one of local significance. For examples, Orange County, California, and Orange County, New York, both drop large oranges (Orange County, Florida, tried it briefly, but has since ceased doing so). There are also examples of things going up. In Seattle the countdown is done by raising the Space Needle's elevator and launching fireworks up the side of the tower until both reach the top at midnight.
New Year's Eve is a major event in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Las Vegas Strip is shut down as several hundred thousand people party. New Year's Eve is traditionally the busiest day of the year at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, where the parks stay open late and the usual nightly fireworks are supplemented by an additional New Years-specific show at midnight. In New Orleans, Louisiana, another of the most popular New Year celebration venues in North America, similar crowds of hundreds of thousands gather in the French Quarter, particularly on Bourbon and Canal Street, to celebrate the New Year.
Many cities also celebrate First Night, a non-alcoholic family-friendly New Year's Celebration, generally featuring performing artists, community events, parades, and fireworks displays. First Night began in Boston in 1976 and is now found in over 60 cities nationwide. A similar celebration is Providence, Rhode Island's Bright Night Providence, and an artist run arts celebration that started when Providence's First Night went bankrupt in 2003.
In several areas of the U.S., particularly major urban areas, New Year celebrations are punctuated by random celebratory gunfire, causing injuries and deaths.[2][3][4]. Police departments in many areas, aided by gun safety organizations, have attempted to crack down on this practice through technology[5][6] and stiffer penalties[7].
A New Year's Eve tradition in Hawaii and other areas is the un-condoned use of fireworks by local residents. Local governments have begun to severely limit this practice in recent years for numerous reasons, including its effect on people with breathing problems, thrill-seeking but dangerous twists on fireworks use (e.g. hanging fireworks from power lines), and unintended fires. Legislation approved by the Hawaii State Legislature has implemented a system of permits for fireworks use, yet this system is still frequently circumvented by locals.
In Venezuela, many of the traditions are very similar to the ones from Spain, with an over-emphasis in traditions who supposedly will bring good luck in the year forthcoming. Those who want to find love in the New Year are supposed to wear yellow underwear on New Year's Eve; those who want money must have a bill of high value when toast, those who want to travel must go out home while carrying some luggage, and so on.
Usually, people listen to radio specials, which give a countdown and announce the New Year according to the legal hour in Venezuela, and, in Caracas, following the twelve bells from the Cathedral of Caracas. During these special programs is a tradition to broadcast songs about the sadness on the end of the year, being popular favorites "Viejo año" ("Old year") by Gaita group Maracaibo 15 and "Cinco pa' las 12" ("Five minutes before twelve") who was versioned by several popular singers like Nestor Zavarce, Nancy Ramos and José Luis Rodríguez El Puma. The unofficial hymn for the first minutes of the New Year is "Año Nuevo, Vida Nueva" ("New Year, New Life"), by the band Billo's Caracas Boys.
It’s now possible to find live New Year’s celebrations on the Internet in addition to the usual televised New Year's Eve celebrations.
The Brent and Timmy Live New Year’s Show is a streaming comedy show broadcast in real time. This live New Year's show is available only on the Internet and covers approximately half of the world’s time zones.
Mobile phone manufacturer Nokia will host a 5 time zone, multi-major city party called "5 Cities. 1 Party" This event will be broadcast on the Internet and will feature well-known musical groups.
1. Watch Night
★ New Year
★ New Year's Day
★ Chinese New Year
★ Persian New Year
★ Ōmisoka (Japan)
★ Áramótaskaupið (Iceland)
★ First Night
★ Hogmanay
★ Malanka (Ukraine)
'New Year's Eve' is December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year, and the day before New Year's Day.
New Year's Eve is a separate observance from the observance of New Year's Day. In 21st-century Western practice, New Year's Eve is celebrated with parties and social gatherings spanning the transition of the year at midnight.
Many cultures use fireworks and other forms of noise making in part of the celebration in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, London, Edinburgh, Istanbul, Berlin, Paris, Athens, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Manila, New York City, Las Vegas, Taipei, Hong Kong, Seoul, Chicago, San Rafael, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, Valparaiso, Niagara Falls, Ontario and Montreal.
New Year's Eve is a public non-working holiday in the following countries, among others: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Greece, the Philippines, and Venezuela.
Localized celebrations
Australia
Each major city around Australia holds New Year’s Eve celebrations, usually accompanied by a fireworks display amongst other events. Perth's fireworks are let off from barges along the Swan River, whilst 50,000 people annually gather at sites around the Brisbane River in the city to watch a fireworks display while events are held in the city and at Southbank. The two largest New Year's Eve celebrations in Australia are held in its two largest cities, Melbourne and Sydney.
See NewYearsEve Australia
Sydney
Crowd in Sydney Harbour at New Year's Eve
With crowds of well over 1 million people, Sydney has arguably the second largest New Year celebrations worldwide, after Rio de Janeiro (which attracts over 3 million people on Copacabana Beach; New York and London both average crowds between 800,000 and 1,000,000). Celebrators benefit from the harbour city's warm summer weather and natural amphitheatre. Kiribati is the first country to welcome to the new year, as it lies between the Australian time zone and the International Date Line. Over 80,000 fireworks are traditionally set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and six other firing points covering 6km along Sydney Harbour. The event can be seen from a 16km radius around Sydney and attracts an average of 300,000 international tourists each year. The Harbour of Lights Parade adds to the attraction as cruise boats covered in fairy lights cruise the centre of the harbour all night. These vessels have the prime position for the evening.
Sydney has recently been acknowledged by numerous media sources as having the world's best New Year celebrations, topping the list of cities such as New York City, Edinburgh, Paris, and London.
In 2006/07, the Sydney New Year's Eve event co-ordinators used over AUD 4 Million to deliver its largest fireworks display, consisting of two fireworks shows at 9pm and at midnight. The display stretched across six barges positioned at vantage points along the harbour foreshore, making it the largest New Years Eve fireworks display in the world. The Sydney Harbour Bridge forms an integral part of the fireworks display, with special recognition in 2007 of the 75th anniversary of the bridge's opening.
The theme for the 2007/2008 celebration will be the 100th anneversary of Lifesavers in Australia.
Melbourne
Melbourne holds New Year's Eve celebrations spread out at various locations along the Yarra River at the Docklands, Federation Square, Alexandra Gardens, Birrarung Marr, Southbank, Waterfront City and New Quay. More recently these celebrations, including live music and fireworks, have grown bigger and now attract crowds of 500,000 - 600,000, making it the second largest New Year's Eve celebrations in Australia.
For the 2006/07 celebrations, separate fireworks displays were held at 9:00 and midnight with fireworks let off the top of the Eureka Tower and Federation Square, many locations along the Yarra River and the Docklands, whilst live music and other events continued from the early evening into the early hours of the morning.
Other events around Melbourne include the Pyramid Rock Festival , which is held around New Year’s Eve on Phillip Island.
Brazil
New Year's Eve (''Véspera de Ano Novo'') is one of the most traditional holidays in Brazil. In most Brazilian cities, even those of medium size, there is a major display of fireworks after midnight, and special musical shows. The most famous celebration is at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. The city of São Paulo also has a famous worldwide event: the Saint Silvester Marathon (''Corrida de São Silvestre''), which traverses streets between Paulista Avenue and the downtown area. It is contested by athletes of many countries, including such Olympic stars as the Kenyan runner Paul Tergat, who won it five times.
Canada
In Canada, families usually gather and celebrate New Year's Eve together. Often, several families will come together and celebrate in a large party. Parties usually involve fireworks and light shows. Many Canadians see New Year's Eve (and Christmas) as a time of family reunion and have a great feast. They will usually spend a great deal of time eating at home (in French, this feast is called ''Réveillion''). However, traditions vary from region to region. For instance, in Ottawa, younger residents often head to the Market area downtown and crowd bars and nightclubs. In Quebec, ''le Jour du Nouvel An'' is celebrated with the family and friends, and the exchange of gifts is common. In rural and remote areas, people often take their snowmobiles to high hills, set up the barbecues, and roast steaks or hotdogs. In some areas, such as in rural Quebec, people ice fish and drink with their friends until the early hours of January 1st. Toronto, Montreal and Niagara Falls, Ontario also have fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
Denmark
The Danes usually celebrate New Year's Eve, or ''nytårsaften'' in Danish, with their families or, more commonly nowadays, with their close friends, with fireworks and champagne. The evening meal on New Years Eve is often more exclusive, and often consists of three courses; traditional deserts include Marzipan ring cake (''Danish: kransekage, lit.: ring cake''). Danes often watch the Queen's New Years Speech on television. The climax is when the clock on the Copenhagen City Hall reaches twelve, and the gathered people at the square cheer. As in Germany the national television station DR1 broadcasts Dinner for One (''in Danish: 90 års fødselsdagen (lit.: The 90th birthday))''.
Ecuador
Ecuador celebrates a unique tradition on the last day of the year. Elaborate effigies, called Anos Viejos(Old Years) are created to represent people and events from the past year. Often these include political characters or leaders that the creator of the effigy may have disagreed with. The dummies are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes, with paper mache masks. Often they are also stuffed with fire crackers. At midnight the effigies are lit on fire to symbolize burning away of the past year and welcoming of the new year.
The origin of the tradition is unknown, but is similar to that of the British Guy Fawkes Night. It is possible the tradition began after a yellow fever epidemic left many dead. The corpses were then disposed of by burning.
Another well known tradition is the “Widow” which is usually a man dressed up as a woman who has to make people laugh by crying a lot. Then the public or people around will give this “widow” some sort of charity for her assumedly mentally insane husband.
Other rituals are performed for the health, wealth, prosperity and protection of each member. These rituals are the following:
Twelve grapes: Each person eats twelve grapes before midnight, making a wish with each grape.
Yellow panties: One of the most popular traditions, yellow panties are said to attract positive energies for the New Year.
Suitcase: Walking around the block with the suitcase will bring the person the journey of their dreams.
France
The French call New Year's Eve ''la Saint-Sylvestre''. It is usually celebrated with a feast called ''le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre''.
This feast customarily includes special dishes and drinks like champagne and foie gras. The celebration can be a simple, intimate dinner with friends and family or a much fancier ball (''une soirée dansante'').
On ''le Jour de l'An'' (New Year's Day), friends and family exchange New Year's resolutions and sometimes gifts.
The holiday period ends on January 6 for the Epiphany. On this day, they traditionally enjoy a type of cake that varies depending on where you are in France.
Germany
The Germans call the New Year's Eve 'Silvester'. Since 1972, each New Year's Eve, German television has broadcast a short video, ''Dinner for One'' in English. A punch line from the comedy sketch, "same procedure as every year", has become a catch phrase in Germany. Gesundheit to an old favourite Moreover in Berlin, the largest New Year's Eve celebration in all of Europe, is celebrated by more than 1,234,567 people attending the festivities each year. A huge firework is started at the Lamp Shade.
Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
In Hong Kong, people usually gather in Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront to see the light works on the skyscrapers along the harbour and to count down to the New Year at spots like Times Square and Ocean Terminal.
Hong Kong has been voted to have the best skyline in the world and offers a spectacular display of fireworks and lights among the crowd of skyscrapers for occasions such as New Years Eve, Christmas, Chinese New Year and other special holidays.
India
New Year's Eve fireworks in India
Most celebrations take place in the larger cities of India like Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai. People gather at places like, Andheri Sports Complex. Events such as, live concerts and dances by bollywood stars, fireworks and parties take place. Families often get together to celebrate the New Year.
Japan
The Red and White Year-end Song Festival (Kōhaku utagassen) is a 50-year-old tradition in which "25 men and 25 women are split into two teams for a seemingly endless warble." The Buddhist temple bells are rung 108 times.
Mexico
Mexicans down a grape with each of the twelve chime of the bell during the New Year countdown, while making a wish with each one. On New Year's Eve, those who want to find love in the new year wear red underwear and yellow if they want money.
Other traditions include, sweeping the dirt out, taking luggage outside as a symbol of future trips, hanging sheep dolls (mainly made out of wool) in the doorknob for prosperity, among others.
The celebrations are very similar to those of Spain (see below).
Philippines
Filipinos usually celebrate New Year's Eve with the company of family and close friends. Traditionally, most households stage a dinner party named ''Media Noche'' in their homes. Typical dishes include pancit, ''Jamon'' and if the family could afford it, Lechon, which is usually considered as the centerpiece of the dinner table. Barbecued food is also an integral part of the menu.
Most Filipinos follow a set of traditions that are typically observed during New Year's Eve. Included among these traditions is the customary habit of wearing clothes with circular patterns like polka dots, this signifies the belief that circles attract money and fortune. Traditions also include the serving of circularly-shaped fruits, shaking of coins inside a metal casserole while walking around the house, jumping high which is believed to cause an increase in physical height and making loud noises to drive away "evil" spirits among others. Households also spend money to buy firecrackers and pyrotechnics that would be ignited at the strike of midnight.
Cities in urban areas are usually host to many New Year's Eve parties and countdown celebrations which are usually hosted by the private sector with the help of the local government. Notable parties include GMA Network's party at the Plaza Sulayman of Baywalk in Manila. These parties usually display their own fireworks spectacle.
Spain
The ''Puerta Del Sol'' in 2005 New Year's Eve
Spanish New Year's Eve (''Nochevieja'', or ''Fin de Año'') celebrations usually begin with a family dinner, traditionally including shrimp and lamb or turkey. Spanish people believe that wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve brings good luck. The actual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of the Casa de Correos building in Puerta del Sol square in Madrid. It is traditional to eat twelve grapes, one on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays, the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonymous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine such as cava or champagne, or alternatively with cider.
After the family dinner and the grapes, many young people attend New Year parties at pubs, discotheques and similar places (these parties are called ''cotillones de nochevieja'', after the Spanish word ''cotillón'', which refers to party supplies like confetti, party blowers, party hats, etc.). Parties usually last until the next morning and range from small, personal celebrations at local bars to huge parties with guests numbering the thousands at hotel convention rooms. Early next morning, party attendees usually gather to have the traditional winter breakfast of ‘’chocolate con churros’’ (hot chocolate and fried pastry).
Taiwan
New Year's Eve celebration of the arrival of 2006 around Taipei 101.
Many people in Taiwan celebrate the end of the year with concerts in most of the cities and recently using a big screen on the stage to communicate with cities around the island by shouting Happy New Year to each other. The most crowded city is the capital Taipei which most people gather around Taipei 101 located in the shopping and financial area
of Taipei. People gather around the roads around Taipei 101 and together they shout from 10 to zero. With each number they count, one of the layers of Taipei 101 (eight floor per layer) lights up until zero, the fireworks shoot out from the top of each layer (8 layers excluding a layer under the antenna) in different directions
Turkey
Many parties are organized in Turkey with New Year Trees, Santa Claus items. In big cities such as Istanbul, İzmir and Ankara concerts and shows are performed. Especially in Istanbul's Beyoğlu and Nişantaşı districts new year is celebrated by large festivals, which have large public attendance. In Ankara, people gather in the Kizilay Square for concerts and shows. Fireworks are an important tradition after the count down and in the first minute of the New Year. After midnight people give each other, New Year presents similar to Christmas presents. Besides, the traditional New Year's Eve Meal is turkey with a special pilaf kind.
United Kingdom
Many Britons celebrate the New Year by either waiting for Big Ben, or a clock to strike midnight while enjoying the party. Usually, the partygoers will countdown the last ten seconds, by shouting out the numbers from "Ten!" and then as simultaneously Big Ben chimes and zero is reached, shout "Happy New Year!" instead of zero. Amusingly, the countdown is sometimes miscalculated and "One!" is repeated until Big Ben chimes. The chimes are usually accompanied by fireworks.
There are also major celebrations across Scotland where it is known as Hogmanay. The traditional song Auld Lang Syne was written by Robert Burns, a Scottish poet. There are large street parties held in the major cities and Edinburgh and Glasgow are particularly renowned for their celebrations. The Edinburgh Hogmanay Street Party is attended by people from all over the world.
London's celebrations are the most covered. Since the construction of the London Eye, it has been the centre-point of a huge ten-minute fireworks display each year, illuminated with coloured lasers. At the start of 2005, fireworks were launched from the wheel itself for the first time.
Other large cities in Britain such as Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham all have large celebrations. Strangely, Bideford in North Devon, which is tiny in comparison is often described as one of the best places to celebrate this event. The typically quiet town, which used to be the third largest Port in Britain after London and Bristol comes alive with the festivities and its New Year's Eve party draws people from miles around to gather on the quay for the countdown with many people dressing in fancy dress.
United States
Countdown 2006 in NYC.
In the United States, New Year's Eve is a major social holiday. The top destination for the past three years has been Chicago, according to hotwire.com.[1] In the past 100 years the "ball dropping" on top of One Times Square in New York City, broadcast to all of America (and rebroadcast in many other countries), is a major component of the New Year celebration. The 1,070-pound, 6-foot-diameter Waterford crystal ball (on the right) located high above Times Square is lowered, starting at 23:59:00 and reaching the bottom of its tower at the stroke of midnight (00:00:00). It is sometimes referred to as "the big apple" like the city itself; the custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at noon in harbors.
From 1981 to 1988, New York City dropped an enlarged apple in recognition of its nickname. Since 1972, Dick Clark has hosted televised coverage of the event called ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'', shown on ABC-TV. For about three decades on CBS-TV, Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians serenaded the United States from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City. The song Auld Lang Syne has become a popular song to sing at midnight on New Year's Eve.
Communities.
'Religious communities.' Many religious communities have a tradition of New Year's Eve being known as "Watch Night." The faithful of the community congregate in worship services commencing New Year's Eve night and continuing past midnight into the new year. The Watch Night is a time for giving thanks for the blessings of the outgoing year and praying for divine favor during the upcoming year. Though held by some to have begun in the African American community, watch night can actually be traced back to a sect of Christians known as the Moravians. The practice was later adopted by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Watch Night did take on special significance to African Americans on New Year's Eve 1862, however, as slaves eagerly awaited the arrival of January 1, 1863 -- the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation. This particular New Year's Eve became known as "Freedom's Eve."[1]
'Singles communities' Organizations that support singles (divorced, separated, never married, or widowed) often have huge New Years Eve parties. For example, Professionals Guild, a social organization devoted to supporting single professionals in Northern California has huge New Years Eve parties in Sacramento and San Ramon, California. Because it is a special event, both couples and singles are welcome at these new year's eve celebrations. The entire first floor of the Sacramento Hilton Hotel is taken over by the party and nobody, except perhaps special guests like airline personnel, are allowed in the hotel, unless they are registered for the party. The party includes new year's eve hats, exhibitors, a big balloon drop, a magician, photographer, videographer, two live bands playing simultaneously in separate rooms, a live DJ in another room, and casino gaming for prizes in a 4th room. The party takes months of planning.
Local celebrations
Many cities in the United States of America have their own local version of the celebration, even while keeping an eye on New York, and the New York-centric aspect of the holiday is diminishing. Many cities, echoing the New York tradition of ball drop, also descend or lower an object (or an enlarged representation of an object), usually one of local significance. For examples, Orange County, California, and Orange County, New York, both drop large oranges (Orange County, Florida, tried it briefly, but has since ceased doing so). There are also examples of things going up. In Seattle the countdown is done by raising the Space Needle's elevator and launching fireworks up the side of the tower until both reach the top at midnight.
New Year's Eve is a major event in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Las Vegas Strip is shut down as several hundred thousand people party. New Year's Eve is traditionally the busiest day of the year at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, where the parks stay open late and the usual nightly fireworks are supplemented by an additional New Years-specific show at midnight. In New Orleans, Louisiana, another of the most popular New Year celebration venues in North America, similar crowds of hundreds of thousands gather in the French Quarter, particularly on Bourbon and Canal Street, to celebrate the New Year.
Many cities also celebrate First Night, a non-alcoholic family-friendly New Year's Celebration, generally featuring performing artists, community events, parades, and fireworks displays. First Night began in Boston in 1976 and is now found in over 60 cities nationwide. A similar celebration is Providence, Rhode Island's Bright Night Providence, and an artist run arts celebration that started when Providence's First Night went bankrupt in 2003.
Random gunfire and unapproved fireworks use
In several areas of the U.S., particularly major urban areas, New Year celebrations are punctuated by random celebratory gunfire, causing injuries and deaths.[2][3][4]. Police departments in many areas, aided by gun safety organizations, have attempted to crack down on this practice through technology[5][6] and stiffer penalties[7].
A New Year's Eve tradition in Hawaii and other areas is the un-condoned use of fireworks by local residents. Local governments have begun to severely limit this practice in recent years for numerous reasons, including its effect on people with breathing problems, thrill-seeking but dangerous twists on fireworks use (e.g. hanging fireworks from power lines), and unintended fires. Legislation approved by the Hawaii State Legislature has implemented a system of permits for fireworks use, yet this system is still frequently circumvented by locals.
Venezuela
In Venezuela, many of the traditions are very similar to the ones from Spain, with an over-emphasis in traditions who supposedly will bring good luck in the year forthcoming. Those who want to find love in the New Year are supposed to wear yellow underwear on New Year's Eve; those who want money must have a bill of high value when toast, those who want to travel must go out home while carrying some luggage, and so on.
Usually, people listen to radio specials, which give a countdown and announce the New Year according to the legal hour in Venezuela, and, in Caracas, following the twelve bells from the Cathedral of Caracas. During these special programs is a tradition to broadcast songs about the sadness on the end of the year, being popular favorites "Viejo año" ("Old year") by Gaita group Maracaibo 15 and "Cinco pa' las 12" ("Five minutes before twelve") who was versioned by several popular singers like Nestor Zavarce, Nancy Ramos and José Luis Rodríguez El Puma. The unofficial hymn for the first minutes of the New Year is "Año Nuevo, Vida Nueva" ("New Year, New Life"), by the band Billo's Caracas Boys.
Internet celebrations
It’s now possible to find live New Year’s celebrations on the Internet in addition to the usual televised New Year's Eve celebrations.
The Brent and Timmy Live New Year’s Show is a streaming comedy show broadcast in real time. This live New Year's show is available only on the Internet and covers approximately half of the world’s time zones.
Mobile phone manufacturer Nokia will host a 5 time zone, multi-major city party called "5 Cities. 1 Party" This event will be broadcast on the Internet and will feature well-known musical groups.
References
1. Watch Night
See also
★ New Year
★ New Year's Day
★ Chinese New Year
★ Persian New Year
★ Ōmisoka (Japan)
★ Áramótaskaupið (Iceland)
★ First Night
★ Hogmanay
★ Malanka (Ukraine)
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