New Year signifies an end of the 365 days of the present year and the start of a
new year, yet again. It is celebrated all over the world with the same zeal,
vigor and enthusiasm. There are lots of preparations undertaken for the event
and it can be categorized as one of the occasions that the whole world
celebrates together. All across the globe, cities are decorated. Most of the
news channels get special reporters and correspondents geared up to show the
live coverage of the celebration. For many it’s a new day, a new life and a new
beginning. Let us explore more on what makes New Year Day special, by dwelling
on the trivia given in the lines below.
Interesting New Year Facts
* New Year is the oldest of all holidays, as it was first observed in ancient
Babylon as many as 4000 years ago.
* Celebrating New Year on January 1 is purely arbitrary, as neither it has
agricultural significance nor astronomical. Many countries still celebrate it in
spring, the season of rebirth of new crops.
* The Roman senate declared January 1 as the New Year in 153 BC. Though even
this date saw major tampering, it was Julius Caesar who again declared January 1
in Julian calendar as the New Year, in 46 BC.
* New Years is still observed as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some
denominations.
* The first month of the year i.e. January has been named after God Janus (Latin
word for door), in the Roman calendar. Janus is the God with two faces, one
looking backwards and one forward, at the same time and marks the ‘spirit of the
opening’
* The Romans began a tradition of exchanging gifts on New Year's Eve, by giving
one another branches from sacred trees, for good fortune. The gift phenomenon is
prevalent from those times, till date.
* January 1 was revived as New Year in 1582, by the Gregorian calendar and so
celebrated by most of the countries till date.
* New Year is celebrated like a festival throughout the world and everyone
around is in festive mood, partying, singing and dancing to ring out the old
year and ring in the new.
* In Britain, when the Big Ben clocks strikes 12, everyone gathers around to
sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’, a Scottish song. It was written by Robert Burns in the
1700's, literally meaning "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days", to
remember old and new friends.
* It was once believed that the first visitor on New Year's Day would bring
either good luck or bad luck for the rest of the year, depending on who he/she
was.
* Many cultures believe that anything given or taken on New Year, in the shape
of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle".
* Many parts of the U.S. celebrate New Year by consuming black-eyed peas and
other legumes, as it has been considered good luck in many cultures.
* The tradition of making New Year resolution dates back to the early
Babylonians.
* Traditionally, it was thought that people could alter the luck they would have
throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year.
It has, therefore, become important to celebrate first day of the New Year in
the company of family and friends.
* The Spanish ritual on New Year's eve is to eat twelve grapes at midnight. The
tradition is meant to secure twelve happy months in the coming year.
* Noisemaking and fireworks on New Year's Eve is believed to have originated in
ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring
good luck.
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