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The song that I relate to in 2019 is Slide by H.E.R ft Yg. I can relate to this song because it just gives me a cool and chill vibe like you just wanna live in that moment with whoever you're with and not let anything mess with the moment and vibe that you have going on.

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The year 2019 taught me that all relationships as in friendships have expiration dates. It also taught me that even if you expect the good to come out of any situation to also prepare yourself for the bad too. By learning those to things I now know that just because I treat somebody how I would like to be treated in return it won't happen as expected and to not trust people with personal information or with any information about yourself because they could use it against you. The last thing that I learned is that don't let things depress you no matter how bad it was try to be strong and do something to better yourself.

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This video talks about the different New Year's Eve. He talks about what New Yorker's eat on this day, he also says how what games they like to play. This video could be very informative if people would like to know about traditions Americans like to do.

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How Do Americans Celebrate New Year's Eve?

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What do people in Greece eat and drink on New Year

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What do people in Greece eat and drink on New Year

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They typically eat a Greek cabbage salad and they drink whatever they would usually drink any other time.

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Written by GreekBoston.com in Greek New Year Traditions

The New Year is widely celebrated in Greece. In fact, it is one of the most important days of the year. Families celebrate the New Year because they believe it marks the beginning of another happy and prosperous period. This is the perfect time to bring friends and families together around tables to enjoy traditional Greek foods and those dishes that are usually reserved for special occasions. Here's a look at what types of dishes can be found on the Greek table on New Year's Day:

Tomato and Orzo Soup

This simple tomato soup is a favorite on New Year's Day and is served in many homes. It is typically made from fresh tomatoes, pasta, onions, olive oil, sea salt, and garlic. Although the ingredients are simple, the soup is rich with flavor and makes for a perfect addition at the New Year's feast.

Lahanosalata

Lahanosalata is Greek cabbage salad. Greeks enjoy preparing fresh foods from the garden. The Lahanosalata is traditional Greek salad loved by many. This salad is always present in many tables in Greece on the New Year's Eve. Lemon juice and olive dressing is used to create an exceptional taste.

Moshari Kokkinisto

Moshari Kokkinisto, literally translated as reddened beef stew, is another favorite dish at New Year's. This stew is different than the version of the stew that is served throughout the year. It is a special stew that is prepared in Greek homes to stimulate people taste buds on New Year's celebrations. It is a highly anticipated dish made from browned beef, tomato paste, and other ingredients.

Pasta

It is also customary to serve some sort of pasta dish at New Year's. Typically, pastitsio, which is made from meat and pasta, is usually the dish of choice. However, makaronia ograten is also popular. It is essentially a cheesier, meatless version of pastitsio and offers a nice addition to the table, especially if serving a heavier meat dish such as moshari kokkinisto.

Vasilopita

Vasilopita is the most anticipated New Year food in Greece. Vasilopita is New Year's cake or bread. A small coin or medallion is usually inserted into the cake during the baking process. It is believed that the person who is going to find the coin in his/her piece of the cake will enjoy extra fortune in the New Year. Cutting of this cake is a tradition that has been held for hundreds of years. Family members and friends gather around the table as pieces of the cake are distributed to everyone who is there. The head of the family, such as the father, is the one who cuts the cake. The first piece of the cake is dedicated to Christ. The second one is for the household. The rest of the pieces are for everyone present. This cake is served for desert. Everyone is served their piece before they are permitted to look

Although menus many change depending on the family, the foods listed here are often found on the New Year's table. No matter what is served, however, Vasilopita is always a part of the feast!

Categorized in: Greek New Year Traditions

This post was written by GreekBoston.com

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What Greeks Typically Eat for the New Year's Feast

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Written by GreekBoston.com in Greek New Year Traditions The New Year is widely celebrated in Greece. In fact, it is one of the most important days of the year. Families celebrate the New Year because they believe it marks the beginning of another happy and prosperous period.

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During Christmas people hang pomegranates above their doorway and then at midnight they take the pomegranate and smash it, by doing this it'll ensure luck,health,happiness, and prosperity.

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Greece is no exception and seems to have more than its fair share of Christmas and New Year celebrations,

Greek Father Christmas is not Saint Nicholas, but Saint Basil (or Vasilis), being Greek and true to form, he arrives late, a week late; on New Year's Eve.

Saint Vassilis, or Agios Vassilis, has much in common with Saint Nicholas;

Both are known for their compassion, kind heartedness and their commitment to helping the unfortunate, both bring gifts around Christmas Time, one, just a little later than the other.

Christmas trees were introduced to Greece in the 1830s by King Otto, but didn't really become popular until about the 1940s.

The Greek equivalent of the Christmas tree is the Christmas boat, a wonderful tradition, which after falling out of favour, I'm glad to say, is making a comeback...big time!

For the observant Orthodox Greek, the forty day fast, for Christmas, known as the advent fast, ends on Christmas day, with the breaking of 'Christopsomo', Christ's bread, which was baked the day before, on Christmas Eve.

Here's a list of 15 most popular Greek New Year customs and traditions:

1. Ta Kalanda (Carol singing)

Children are up and about, bright and early on New Year's Eve and go from house to house, singing the KALANDA, Greek Christmas Carols, usually only the one, same song, accompanied by a triangle.

2. Card playing

As New Year is considered a lucky time, it's the perfect excuse for a card-playing marathon, and I mean marathon!

The games go on for hours, starting early evening, and lasting until midnight, usually at home, but there are organised games in the "Kafenion" (Coffee shop) and clubs.

3. Pomegranate smashing

A POMEGRANATE, an ancient symbol of prosperity and good luck, is hung above the door throughout Christmas.

At midnight, on New Year's Eve, the lights are turned out and the pomegranate is then hurled to the floor, or at the door, where it smashes, spilling out its seeds, the more seeds the better! This helps ensure luck, health, happiness and prosperity for the coming year.

4. The big onion

Now this is a custom I had not heard of, neither had MGG (My Greek God), but, on seeing a picture of the skeletoura, (Squill, sea onion), I realised I had seen them hanging about in Greek houses, at New Year, usually with the bulb part wrapped in foil.

A large onion, skeletoura, Scilla Maritima, the squill bulb or sea onion, used by Greeks in ancient times to worship Pan, God of the wilds and of nature, is hung above the door.

This onion, even when uprooted, will continue to grow layers and blossom; it's said to have magical powers and is the symbol of rebirth.

At midnight, it is taken down, and in the morning, the children of the family are whacked on the head with it, in order to wake them up, so they can attend the church service for Saint Vassilis!

Well I never!

This onion is kept in the house until the next New Year, to bring longevity, health and luck.

5. The Renewal of Waters

Another custom I'm not familiar with, on New Year's Day, all water jugs in the house are emptied and refilled with "Saint Vassili's" water" or "Saint Basil's water"

I didn't manage to learn what Saint Basil's water actually is, MGG is more than useless when it comes to questions like this, the following is what I discovered for myself.

Saint Basil's water, is simply water collected on Saint Basil's Day, sometimes blessed by a priest, some say this is done to keep evil spirits away from the house.

The ceremony is often accompanied by giving offerings or gifts to Naiads (Water nymphs).

6. The Hairy or Mossy Pebble

Things are becoming stranger by the minute!

This, I have heard of, it actually means a stone covered with moss, or, depending on who you ask, it only needs to be wet.

A stone, preferably covered with moss, is collected from a beach, a river, a pond, basically anywhere there is water, taken home, and left outside the door.

Here, again, things become rather vague, some say, the stone is to be put inside the house.

On entering the house for the first time, on New Year's Day, you must step on the stone.

This, supposedly, brings luck and good fortune.

7. Kalo Podariko (First footing)

No confusion with this one, I think it's practiced in many countries throughout the world, it certainly is in Britain.

At the stroke of midnight, someone considered lucky, or a child, due to the fact they are pure and innocent, are sent outside and ordered to re-enter, right foot first, to bring good luck for the following year.

All windows are thrown open to let out the Kallikantzaroi, evil spirits, or mischievous Christmas goblins.

8. Kali Hera (Good Hand)

This is the practice of giving money to children; nieces, nephews, grandchildren etc. who may be present after midnight on New Year's Eve, or, on New Year's Day when they come to visit.

9. The Vassilopita (Greek New Year's cake)

Every Greek family has its VASSILOPITA, the New Year's cake, concealing a lucky coin.

After midnight, the Vassilopita is sliced and handed round by the head of the family.

A cross is scored over the surface, the first slice is for Jesus Christ, the second for The Virgin Mary, the third for Saint Vassilis, the fourth for the house and then, for each member of the family, starting with the oldest.

Whoever finds the lucky coin has good luck and good fortune for the rest of the year.

10. Agios Vassilis - Saint Basil (Greek Santa Claus)

Ho Ho Ho, it's New Years' Eve, and Santa's arrived with his sack full of presents.

Even though he has a different name, and arrives a week later, Agios Vassilis looks a lot like Christmas!

Like SAINT NICHOLAS that is, a jolly, red-clad, chubby chap, sporting a long white beard.

11. Greek Sweet Christmas treats

It wouldn't be Christmas without traditional, Greek Christmas sweets, something deliciously sweet and fattening!

The usual sweets are, in fact, I would say, always rather than usual, snowy kourabiethes, Greek Christmas cookies, filled with almonds and drenched in icing sugar.

Melomakarana, Sticky sweet and soaked in honey, with a tang of spicy cloves.

Diples, thin strips of dough, folded and fried, sprinkled with chopped nuts and honey.

And, of course, baklava, layers of phyllo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, covered in sweet syrup.

12. Feeding the Fountain

In Thessaly, central Greece, on Christmas Eve, at the stroke of midnight, young women make their way, in complete silence, to the nearest fountain or spring, to collect 'speechless water'.

Whilst making a wish, to ensure a sweet year ahead, the young women 'feed' butter or honey to the spring.

The girl, who arrives first at the spring, will have the most luck.

13. The Flaming Yew

A Christmas and New Year custom in Epirus, Northern Greece,

On their way, in the black of night, to visit baby Jesus, the three kings, gathered dry yew branches, set them alight, and used them as torches to light the way.

Today, in small villages of Epirus, people can still be seen at Christmas time, walking about with a flaming yew branch, wishing a merry Christmas to one and all.

14. The marriage of Fire

On Christmas Eve in Edessa, Northern Greece, locals gather branches of wood, girls take wood from female trees, such as cherry, and the boys, from a male tree, a sort of thorny briar wood called Vatos, the branches are laid in the fireplace, in the shape of a cross, and set alight.

Depending on how the wood burns, quickly, or slowly, with or without flames, noisily or quietly, someone with the knowledge of the custom, can predict how the year ahead will turn out, if the crops will do well, how the weather will be, and, in general, whether it will be a good year.

In Thessaly, central Greece, on returning from church, girls burn cedar wood, and the boys, wild cherry, whoever's branch burns first, is the one who shall marry first.

15. Spordisma (The burning of leaves)

On the island of Thassos, burning embers are removed from the fire and put onto a heat - proof surface, then, whilst making a wish, olive, or oak leaves, are spread over the hot embers.

The one whose leaves curl the most, will have their wish come true.

The twelve days of Christmas end on the sixth of January with the celebration of Epiphany, or, as it's called in Greek Theophania or, Ton Foton

And there you have the makings of Christmas and New Year; Greek style!

To one and all, I wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

See more fabulous Greek Christmas Traditions at links below:
Greek Christmas customs & traditions: Kallikantzaroi (Christmas goblins) Greek Christmas Customs & Traditions: Vasilopita, Greek New Year's Cake Kalanda: Carol Singing - Greek Christmas Traditions Recipes - Traditional Greek Christmas Sweets and Desserts - kourabiedes - Melomakarona - Diples - Baklava - Christopso

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Top 15 Greek Christmas and New Year Customs and Traditions - Greeker Than The Greeks

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Greece is no exception and seems to have more than its fair share of Christmas and New Year celebrations, Greek Father Christmas is not Saint Nicholas, but Saint Basil (or Vasilis) , being Greek and true to form, he arrives late, a week late; on New Year's Eve.

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What do people in Brazil eat and drink ?

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What do people in Brazil eat and drink ?

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Most families eat lentilhas (lentils) for good luck and they eat pomegranates for wealth. Sometimes they'll drink a grape pisco sour cocktail.

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What do people in Japan drink or eat for New Year ?

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What do people in Japan drink or eat for New Year ?

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The Japanese tend to eat colorful dishes on New Year. The most eaten dish on New Year is Osechi Ryori. They also drink Otosou.

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Osechi Ryori (御節料理) are the traditional foods enjoyed on New Year's day in Japan. They come in an assortment of colorful dishes packed together in special boxes called jubako, which resemble bento boxes. Every dish of these traditional foods have special meaning in welcoming the New Year.
The Japanese celebrate the New Year Day with traditional New Year foods called Osechi Ryori (御節料理). It is considered the most important meal of the year as each dish serves as a well wishes for the coming year.

What is Osechi Ryori?

Similar to bento boxes, Osechi Ryori are usually packed in 2-3 layers of lacquer boxes (ojubako) and there are many dishes in each layer. The entire family would share one ojubako to enjoy on new year's day. The multi-tiered boxes symbolize the hope that happiness & wealth come continuously, like the layers of lacquer ware.

To welcome the New Year with you, I've included a selection of popular Osechi Ryori dishes below. You will find some traditional dishes along with a mix of modern Japanese favorites that are often served during the holiday. Each recipe also comes with a video that guides you through the cooking process.

I hope you enjoy the spread & don't miss the delicious desserts at the end!

12 Popular Osechi Ryori Dishes

1. Datemaki (Sweet Rolled Omelette) 伊達巻

2. Kuri Kinton (Candied Chestnut with Sweet Potatoes) 栗きんとん

3. Namasu (Daikon & Carrot Salad) 紅白なます

4. Chikuzenni / Nishime (Simmered Chicken & Vegetables) 筑前煮/煮しめ

5. Tazukuri (Candied Sardines) 田作り

6. Kuromame (Sweet Black Soybeans) 黒豆

7. Kazunoko (Herring Roe) 数の子

8. Kamaboko (Fish Cake with Salmon Roe) 蒲鉾いくらのせ

9. Ebi no Umani (Simmered Shrimp) えびのうま煮

10. Shake no Kobumaki (Salmon Kombu Roll) 鮭の昆布巻き

11. Kikka Kabu (Pickled Chrysanthemum Turnip) 菊花かぶ

12. Decorative Kamaboko (Fish Cakes)かまぼこ

Typically served in a lacquered jubako (special square boxes similar to lunch box), is sweet rolled omelette that makes a very popular Japanese New Year's food. It is by far my favorite dish among the new year foods. And I hope you give this delicate looking omelette a try too!

Kurikinton literary means "chestnut gold mash", which symbolizes economic fortune and wealth. It's important for New Year meal to bring good luck and prosperity. If you make this dish, please use Japanese Sweet Potatoes for its bright yellow color. Not only they are sweeter than regular sweet potatoes, yellow is also an auspicious color for the new year.

is a daikon and carrot salad that is lightly pickled in sweetened vinegar. This dish was introduced to Japan from China around 700s (Nara period) and it is especially enjoyed during the New Year in Japan. Since red and white are considered celebratory colors in Japan, you will see these colors being used in many traditional ceremonies. This salad is easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time.

Chikuzenni is a classic Japanese dish often served on New Year's Day, but my mom makes it regularly because it was my family's favorite Nimono (Japanese simmered dish). This is also a popular side dish for bento because it can be made in advance and still tastes great at room temperature. For New Year's dish, the vegetables and konnyaku are cut into fancy shapes to celebrate the occasion.

Made of roasted baby sardines & coated in a sweet soy sauce glaze, is another popular dish for osechi ryori. We eat tazukuri on the New Year's day as it symbolizes a bountiful harvest. Tazukuri (田作り) literally translates to "making (作り) rice paddy (田)" as sardines were once used as fertilizers for rice fields.

literally means "black bean (黒豆)" in Japanese, and it is often served on New Years Day as a part of Osechi Ryori. The shinny black beans make a beautiful contrast to red lacquer jubako container, which holds all different kinds of colorful traditional meals. Eating kuromame also is considered good for your health for the new year.

We enjoy this golden colored Kazunoko on the New Year's day as it symbolizes prosperous family and many offsprings. This prized delicacy has unique crunchy texture and it's one of the most popular dishes among Osechi Ryori.

With its elegant presentation, Kamaboko with Salmon Roe makes an impressive addition to your osechi ryori. You'd be surprised how easy it is to make the recipe. Simply make small slits across the Kamaboko (fish cake), stuff in shiso leaf, and top with golden salmon roe.

Simmered shrimp cooked in dashi soy sauce and soaked overnight, this beautiful dish adds a bright color and delicious flavor to your Osechi Ryori.

Flavorful salmon rolled up in kombu and tied with kanpyo (gourd strips), Salmon Kombu Roll is a traditional Japanese dish for the New Year. Representing the secrets of perennial youth and long life, you may be tempted to devour more than one of these exquisite appetizers.

Simple decorative touches on a vegetable can transform a dish from ordinary to special. These Pickled Chrysanthemum Turnips will bring your Osechi Ryori game to the next level. And you only need some basic cutting techniques!

Two Japanese fish cakes (Kamaboko), seven beautiful designs to cut Japanese fish cake! Make ordinary fish cake into decorative designs on this Oshogatu (Japanese New Year)!

12 Popular Side Dishes & Desserts to Serve with Osechi Ryori

Ozoni (Japanese New Year Mochi Soup) is clear dashi based mochi soup with chicken and seasonal vegetables, which is enjoyed in Kanto region (Eastern Japan). This comforting winter soup usually includes toasted mochi, chicken, and Japanese mustard spinach and served with varieties of osechi ryori.

This Kansai-style Ozoni is a miso-based soup enjoyed in the morning on New Year's Day. The soup includes mochi (rice cake), and the preparation varies by region and household. My recipe is an adaptation from my mom's recipe where I include leafy green vegetables and yuzu peel.

From sweet to savory, there are various types of mochi (Japanese rice cake) we enjoy in Japan. For savory dishes, mochi is used as a topping for Ozoni, hot udon noodle soup, or inside Okonomiyaki. For sweet dishes, you will find Mochi Ice Cream, Zenzai (Oshiruko), Strawberry Daifuku and so on. So for Japanese New Year, you have the perfect excuse to enjoy them all.

Red bean paste is used as a filling in many delicious Japanese sweets and desserts. This Pressure Cooker Anko recipe is an easy way to prepare the sweet bean paste without much hassle. Once it's cooked, you are set to make all sorts of mochi or Dorayaki and Taiyaki.

These refreshing Cucumber Wrapper Sushi could be served as appetizer for your New Year celebration. Once the rice is cooked, you can quickly assemble the sushi right before you serve. If you don't eat raw fish, you can substitute with smoked salmon or simply create your own.

Although it is not part of osechi ryori, sushi is regarded a celebratory food in Japan and most holidays include one variation of sushi or another. Japanese New Year makes a special occasion to enjoy otoro sushi, where you feast on the most valued part of the tuna belly.

Hosomaki (Thin Sushi Rolls) are an easy and fun dish to serve during your New Year's get-together. To get started, you just need a few ingredients like tuna, cucumber, nori, and Japanese short grain rice.

This traditional thick sushi roll Futomaki is typically filled with various vegetables and sometimes include cooked fish like unagi. This colorful sushi roll is perfect special holidays and celebrations.

Zenzai is a thick sweet dessert soup made of azuki red beans and often served with mochi (toasted rice cake). Although is not considered part of osechi ryori, this delicious dessert soup is a comforting treat for Japanese people especially during the winter time.

For a different variety of zenzai, I recommend this unique Matcha Zenzai, where red bean paste with soft mochi are served in a green tea soup. This exquisite sweet can be enjoyed hot or cold. If you have last-minute guests visiting, you can prepare it easily and serve as a snack or dessert.

Yuzu is commonly used in Japanese cuisine when it's in season in fall or winter. I think it's wonderful to make Yuzu Sorbet to round up the Japanese New Year dishes for a bright future. It also helps to refresh the palate for the delicious foods we enjoy during the holiday.

A chilled Japanese red bean jelly, Mizu Yokan is a traditional sweet in Japan. Shaped like a rectangular block with a firm texture, my recipe includes golden chestnuts inside the jelly for a festive touch. This Mizu Yokan is a great edible gift if you are visiting your family for the New Year's.

Wish to Learn More about Japanese New Year?

Click here to find out more about how Japanese people celebrate this annual festival.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy making these Osechi Ryori recipes during the New Year's holiday! If you make one of these recipes, snap a picture and hashtag it #JustOneCookbook. I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter! Thank you so much for reading and till next time!

Don't want to miss a recipe? Sign up for the FREE Just One Cookbook newsletter delivered to your inbox! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.
Editor's Note: Original post was published on Dec 27, 2015. The content has been updated in December 2017.

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Osechi Ryori おせち料理 (Japanese New Year Food) * Just One Cookbook

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Osechi Ryori (御節料理) are the traditional foods enjoyed on New Year's day in Japan. They come in an assortment of colorful dishes packed together in special boxes called jubako, which resemble bento boxes. Every dish of these traditional foods have special meaning in welcoming the New Year.

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Brazilians believe that what you eat on New Year's Eve will bring you good luck and wealth. What you eat all depends on your family in Brazil.

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In Italy on New Year's Eve Italians wear red underwear both men and women so that it brings good luck into the New Year. They also say that the color red brings hope to conceiving.

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In Japan one of their biggest traditions is to do a deep clean. They deep clean every inch of their house even parts of the house that go untouched throughout the year. Japanese believe that it is important to enter the new year on a clean slate.

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Some New Year's Traditions that we do in America is drop the ball, we have New Year's kiss, and we try to make New Year's resolution. We got inspired to drop the ball on New Year's from the 19th century time balls used by mariners to calibrate their chronometers. Americans have new year's kiss to strengthen ties they wish to maintain in the future. We do new year's resolution to set personal goals to accomplish throughout the year.

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In the eighth century the early Roman calendar had only 10 months with 304 days. Later on a different king named Numa Pompilius added the months January and February and over the year the calendar fell in sync with the sun in 46 B.C. So as a part of Julius Caesar stated that January 1st will be the first day of a New Year, to partly honor the months namesake.

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Table of Contents

1. Ancient New Year's Celebrations

2. <a href="https://www.history.com/news/5-ancient-new-years-celebrations"></a>January 1 Becomes New Year's Day

3. New Year's Traditions and Celebrations Around the World

Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia. Today, most New Year's festivities begin on December 31 (New Year's Eve), the last day of the Gregorian calendar, and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year's Day). Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year's foods, making resolutions for the new year and watching fireworks displays.

Ancient New Year's Celebrations

The earliest recorded festivities in honor of a new year's arrival date back some 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. For the Babylonians, the first new moon following the vernal equinox-the day in late March with an equal amount of sunlight and darkness-heralded the start of a new year. They marked the occasion with a massive religious festival called Akitu (derived from the Sumerian word for barley, which was cut in the spring) that involved a different ritual on each of its 11 days.

In addition to the new year, Atiku celebrated the mythical victory of the Babylonian sky god Marduk over the evil sea goddess Tiamat and served an important political purpose: It was during this time that a new king was crowned or that the current ruler's divine mandate was symbolically renewed.

Did you know? In order to realign the Roman calendar with the sun, Julius Caesar had to add 90 extra days to the year 46 B.C. when he introduced his new Julian calendar.

Throughout antiquity, civilizations around the world developed increasingly sophisticated calendars, typically pinning the first day of the year to an agricultural or astronomical event. In Egypt, for instance, the year began with the annual flooding of the Nile, which coincided with the rising of the star Sirius. The first day of the Lunar New Year, meanwhile, occurred with the second new moon after the winter solstice.

January 1 Becomes New Year's Day

The early Roman calendar consisted of 10 months and 304 days, with each new year beginning at the vernal equinox; according to tradition, it was created by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in the eighth century B.C. A later king, Numa Pompilius, is credited with adding the months of Januarius and Februarius.

Over the centuries, the calendar fell out of sync with the sun, and in 46 B.C. the emperor Julius Caesar decided to solve the problem by consulting with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians of his time. He introduced the Julian calendar, which closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that most countries around the world use today.

As part of his reform, Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honor the month's namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. Romans celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending raucous parties.

In medieval Europe, Christian leaders temporarily replaced January 1 as the first of the year with days carrying more religious significance, such as December 25 (the anniversary of Jesus' birth) and March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation); Pope Gregory XIII reestablished January 1 as New Year's Day in 1582.

New Year's Traditions and Celebrations Around the World

In many countries, New Year's celebrations begin on the evening of December 31-New Year's Eve-and continue into the early hours of January 1. Revelers often enjoy meals and snacks thought to bestow good luck for the coming year. In Spain and several other Spanish-speaking countries, people bolt down a dozen grapes-symbolizing their hopes for the months ahead-right before midnight.

In many parts of the world, traditional New Year's dishes feature legumes, which are thought to resemble coins and herald future financial success; examples include lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern United States. Because pigs represent progress and prosperity in some cultures, pork appears on the New Year's Eve table in Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Portugal and other countries. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries, a sign that the year has come full circle, round out the feast in the Netherlands, Mexico, Greece and elsewhere. In Sweden and Norway, meanwhile, rice pudding with an almond hidden inside is served on New Year's Eve; it is said that whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune.

Other customs that are common worldwide include watching fireworks and singing songs to welcome the new year, including the ever-popular "Auld Lang Syne" in many English-speaking countries. The practice of making resolutions for the new year is thought to have first caught on among the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off on the right foot. (They would reportedly vow to pay off debts and return borrowed farm equipment.)

In the United States, the most iconic New Year's tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City's Times Square at the stroke of midnight. Millions of people around the world watch the event, which has taken place almost every year since 1907. Over time, the ball itself has ballooned from a 700-pound iron-and-wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds. Various towns and cities across America have developed their own versions of the Times Square ritual, organizing public drops of items ranging from pickles (Dillsburg, Pennsylvania) to possums (Tallapoosa, Georgia) at midnight on New Year's Eve.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

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New Year's - Traditions, Resolutions & Date | HISTORY

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Most New Year's festivities begin on December 31 (New Year's Eve), the last day of the Gregorian calendar, and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year's Day). Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year's foods, making resolutions for the new year and watching fireworks displays.