HAPPY NEW YEARS

This is a re-post from last year but hey, it all still applies. What are your traditions?

The stroke of midnight comes earliest to Tonga in the South Pacific but Auckland, New Zealand which is just west of the International Date Line is the first major city to welcome in the New Year.

This means Lou @ The Quiet Life will probably have the first hangover of 2010.

In Brazil they refer to the New Year (ano novo) by the French word Reveillon. This marks the beginning of summer holidays for them. One custom is to dress in white to bring good luck.

Here in Canada we throw big parties with lots of music, food, beverages and fireworks. In Quebec it is common to go ice fishing through the night. At the home of one of my sisters, where it is much colder than where I live, they have cleared the snow from the lake and they have a big ice rink at the ready for their party-goers and guests. The popular New Years Day Polar Bear Swims are growing every year with a dash into the frigid oceans and lakes. Me? Not on your life.

In Denmark it is called nytarsaften. It is often celebrated with a 3 course meal culminating with a Marzipan ring cake. The clock on Copenhagen City Hall chimes in the New Year and the fireworks and champagne add to the party. The national television station will broadcast Dinner for One.

Ecuador created elaborate effigies which they burn at midnight. These represent people and events that have been a problem to you in the past year. They make them out of straw, newspaper and old clothes. They make paper mache masks for them and stuff them with firecrackers. They also eat 12 grapes each before midnight and they make a wish with each grape. They wear yellow underwear to attract positive energy for the coming year and they walk around the block with a suitcase to bring them the journey of their dreams. These would seem to be very superstitious people.

Mexico  and Venezuela follow some of these same traditions as Ecuador such as the grapes and the luggage and the underwear.

la Saint Sylvestre is celebrated in France with a feast that customarily includes Foie gras and champagne. On le Jour de l'An (New Years Day) they exchange gifts and resolutions and eat heart shaped desserts. This holiday period ends on January 6th. on Epiphany.

Germany calls it Silvester and the celebration in Berlin is attended by over a million people. They have a lot of fireworks and also broadcast Dinner for One. A catchphrase from the show "same procedure as every year" is often repeated.

Goa, India has a party culture and is the filled with tourists from all over the world to celebrate New Years Eve. The Bollywood stars entertain with concerts and large crowds gather along the coastline celebrating more with friends than with family.

Capodanno or Notte di San Silvestro is when people from Italy put on red underwear. Now we can check with Lola @ Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino and see if she has her red undies on. Lentils and a spiced Italian sausage are often served at dinner and the President of the Republic gives a televised greeting.

Toshigami is a New Year's god celebrated in Japan. Tradition has people cleaning their homes in anticipation of his welcome. Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times at midnight. Each bell represents 108 elements of defilements. The bells are rung to repent.

Turkey finds its homes lit up with glittering lights. They exchange small gifts and have large dinners with family and friends. Many of the municipalities around the country organize fund-raising events for the poor.

To wind up the evening celebrations you will end up in Samoa, also a nation in the South Pacific. They wait 24 hours after the party that started it all off in Tonga even though they are less than 600 miles away because they are on the other side of the International Date Line.

Well whatever you do to say goodbye to 2010 and welcome in 2011 I wish you all the very best for the New Year.