New Year’s Day is a festive holiday with many traditions. One of the most well-known traditions people enjoy associated with New Year’s is the annual Time Square Ball Drop in New York. However, there are many other ways around the world people celebrate this day with different festivities.
In Brazil, many prefer to spend their New Year’s on the beach. Rio de Janeiro is a very popular destination for this holiday as there are many beach parties and festivities on the streets. One of the most popular traditions is jumping over seven different waves while making one’s New Year’s wishes, one for each wave. According to a Brazilian myth, this will make one’s wishes come true sooner.
Bel Goedert is a foreign exchange student from Brazil at Pleasant Valley. To her, celebrating New Year’s in Brazil is enjoyable due to its unique traditions and celebrations. “We go to the beach and throw some roses in the ocean every year; it’s supposed to bring good luck and happiness in the next year. Another tradition we have is that everyone must wear red or white for good fortune.”
Like Brazil, New Year’s is celebrated in a very interesting way in Spain. Here, the country has many peculiar New Year’s traditions. A popular custom here is eating 12 grapes when the clock strikes 12. This is supposed to bring good luck, prosperity, and happiness in the new year. Another tradition in this country is to take your first step into the new year with your right foot.
New Year’s in Nepal is quite different as well. In fact, New Year’s is celebrated in April in this country. The holiday varies its date yearly based on the lunar calendar. In Nepal, people believe that the activities you do on New Year’s Day reflect the path of the year. Because of this, it is a tradition to do good deeds that one would want to follow for the rest of the year on New Year’s Day.
Freshman Allisa Pandit has been following this tradition with her family even while living in the United States. “I’m very grateful that I am able to celebrate New Year’s in more than one way. These two cultures have allowed me to fully appreciate this holiday through its various traditions.”
Korea also celebrates New Year’s in a very unique way. Their New Year’s is similar to Nepal’s in that it is celebrated in February rather than January and the date is based on the lunar calendar as well. Korea’s New Year’s traditions include setting out food for ancestors to honor them and eating rice cake soup once the clock strikes 12.
PV Senior Jeanelle Cho celebrates New Year’s in both the American and Korean way, and she has found to admire them both for their various traditions. “I like these traditions because it’s a great way to start the year with a reminder of how important family is. These cultures have allowed me to enjoy the holiday fully with unique ways of celebrating.”
New Year’s Day is celebrated in many different ways around the world. This diverse holiday is the favorite of many people in the Pleasant Valley community because of its fun and unique traditions.
