Popular Rituals: How to Make a Happy New Year's Eve Celebration Interesting and Exciting
Posted: Tuesday, December 29, 2009
by Nenita Wells
The beginning of the New Year is the best time to say good-bye to unproductive goals. Time to re-examine and renew the short-lived resolutions and promises we made. It is the best time to start over especially in the areas of family relationship, work, money matters and self-improvement goals.
In a few days the year 2010 commences. In many countries and in some culture, customs and traditions abound. The celebration of the New Year's eve with the observance of the myriad of rituals has been in existence for centuries. If you are a non-believer, why not try customizing it? You have nothing to loose and a lot to gain if they turn out to be true.
I am hoping that the future will be brighter and the New Year's rituals bring good luck, prosperity, and family member's health and happiness. The following are some of the interesting rituals.
GOOD LUCK and PROSPERITY In the Philippines, they fill the dining table with varieties of food, collecting and eating 8 different kinds of round-shaped fruit, wearing red and polka dotted dress are some of the rituals. Filling the pockets with coins and at midnight, they throw coins to the children for good luck is another.
In the United States, in southern tradition, they eat black eye peas to bring good luck as one of the rituals.
In China, they paint the door red to bring good omen and they wear red clothes to increase good luck. They give the children money in special red envelopes to bring good luck for the coming year. They decorate the house with lucky plants such as the kumquat tree and peach blossoms. They place statues or pictures of cranes, fish, dragons and elephants in some area of the house to bring good luck and prosperity.
In Greece, they bake the Saint Basil cake with silver or gold coin inside for good luck in the coming year. They also exchange gifts on New Year's Day not at Christmas.
In Spain, they eat 12 grapes at the strike of midnight, one at each strike of the clock to mean good luck for each month of the New Year.
In Finland, they cast molten tin and interpret the shape. Ring or heart shape means there is a wedding, a ship means travel, and a pig means there will be plenty of food.
In Scotland, the first person who enters and crosses the threshold of a home should bring a gift for good luck.
In Japan, they eat soba noodles and eat long noodles in one bite for long and prosperous life.
In Holland, they wear circular jewelries, hoop earrings, bracelets and rings to bring good fortune.
In Germany, they celebrate the feast day of Saint Sylvester. On the 31 st day of December a tradition called "Silvester" involves the melting of the lead on the stove top and poured into a cookie sheet. A round shape means good luck will roll your way and the flower shape means new friends.
DRIVE AWAY BAD LUCK AND MISFORTUNE Creating loud noise, clanging pots and pans. Firecrackers are excellent noise-maker but you have to take extra safety precautions.
In Denmark, they stand and jump off a chair at midnight to banish bad spirits.
In some Latin countries, they throw a bucket of water out the window to signify bad things or bad spirits leaving the house.
In Panama, they burn effigies of well-known people in bonfires to signify the old year. Burning them, drives away the evil spirits.
In Spain, they make sure you do not start eating the grapes before the midnight bells, if you do it will bring you bad luck.
In Italy, they throw away unwanted possessions from their windows literally means "out with the old". Be careful that nothing heavy is falling when you are walking directly under the windows. If you find something nice and once it lands in the pavement, you are on to a fun-filled free shopping.
PURIFICATION, FIREWORKS and NOISE In Holland, they welcome the New Year by cleaning their houses. Juniper branches are carried around and burned to remove germs and diseases. Juniper and water are collected after sunset.
The Dutch make bonfires out of the Christmas trees in the streets and set off fireworks to light up the sky.
In China, they thoroughly clean their homes to release traces of bad luck from the past. They take cleansing baths that has purifying herbs such as crushed lime leaves are added to their bath water.
In the Philippines, they thoroughly clean their houses and yards.
In Bali, all statues of the Deity are taken to the water for purification. People walk to the river offering prayers and making as much noise as possible to appease the gods. The following day, the entire island is in silence, praying and meditating.
I am hoping that the Year 2010 will bring you joy, peace, abundance and good health. Be safe and be well.
By Nenita Wells
29DEC2009
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The author was born in one of the 7,100 islands in the Philippines, in Leyte where the famous American five-star general, Douglas MacArthur landed during WWII. She is one of eight children, and she has thirty-five nieces and nephews. She was raised by her parents to be a good Christian. Attended public school both in Elementary and High School in the Philippines. She went to college under the work and study program, earned her bachelor's degree with honors and her first paid full-time job was as secretary to the High School Principal, her first boss was a Benedictine Sister from Germany who was the Administrator of the Catholic school. She lived in New York City from 1977 to 2004 and now lives in Providence, Rhode Island. She loves to read and write poetry.
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More commentsThanks NenitaHere in new Zealand we seem to have dropped lot of the old traditions from the "old country" but New Year is certainly celebrated. The idea of a fresh start is always appealing.
Yes, I agree with you -- a fresh start is always appealing. My nieces used to tell me when asked to wear a dotted dress for the New Year, that it is no longer fashionable. I, too agree with them but I appreciate some of the rituals and regard it as part of the tradition. May the New Year bring you happiness and prosperity. Best regards to you and yours, ~Nenita~
My husband and I had our own New Year's ritual for years. At the stroke of midnight we would have a bonfire burning in the backyard and burn every calendar we could find in our home. We had a few years of unfortunate luck and burning the calendar was a way of saying good riddance to a bad year. Luckily we haven't felt the need to burn a calendar in recent years. Thanks for a very interesting article Nenita and all the best to you and your family in this New Year!Hi Brianna. Burning calendars is very symbolic--a great idea. Thanks for sharing your ritual. I am very grateful for your taking the time to stop by, read and comment on my piece. Wishing you a joyous, healthy, prosperous 2010. Best regards to you and your family, ~Nenita~Opps! I was not logged in.
I enjoyed this alot. Thank You.Hi Curtis. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment. I am glad you enjoyed it and thanks for stopping by. Best to you and yours, ~Nenita~
Hello Tita,How are you? Happy New Year! May this year be filled with more blessings and happiness. I like it. May God bless you.. Love you always and we miss you...Love and care,Odette, Julius, Kyle, Jules and Isidore :)Thank you so much Odette for stopping by and for taking the time to read and comment. I am wishing you the same -- good fortune, good health, happiness and lots of blessing from God.Love you, too.Tita Nenet
nice article. with lots of good rituals. throwing the bads. it served its purpose.
Happynewyear.
Hi Norman. I appreciate your taking the time to read and comment as well as your stopping by to wish me a happy new year.Good luck to you and to Rebecca.All the best,Tita Nenet
hi tita..how are you?hope you're doing fine..all your articles are great..love it..take care & God bless you always..misyu..labsyu..mwahugs..ChenchenThank you so much Chen for reading as well as commenting. I appreciate your taking the time to stop by.You, too, take good care God bless and good health.With love and prayers,Your Tita Nenet
Nenita this was very interesting reading about how other cultures celebrate the New Year.Thank you Anthony.I am glad you stopped by and took the time to read as well as comment.Have a wonderful Valentine's Day celebration with your loved ones.All the best to you and yours,Nenita
Hey you're really up on these customs, beliefs and rituals. Our family always had a few when I was growing up but now it's no longer a big deal for us. Yet it would be interesting to start a few practices from your generous list. And then, have fun with it.
Thanks a million, Heide for reading my article. "You have nothing to loose and a lot to gain if they turn out to be true." LOL. Most of them are fun to do. Have a wonderful New Year to you and your family.
I was looking for rituals to welcome the new year 2012, after reading your article I will try some of these tips.I'm so glad I came across this page and the best part is that they're from all around the world wich makes it so much better as a sign of unity. Thank you very much and Happy New Years to you and yours!Hi Alondra Elizabeth. Thank you for reading my article. I am glad you found some of the tips useful. Happy New Year to you and yours, too.
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