New Years Eve Celebrations
We at the Fayette Front Page thought in honor of the end of 2007 and the
beginning of 2008 that, rather than doing the same-old recap of 2007
stories, we'd share information on celebrations and traditions from around
the world. We wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
•
London
They're expecting over 350,000 for their New Years celebration.
Website
• In Mexico you
might see someone down a grape with each of the twelve chime of the
bell during the New Year countdown, while making a wish with each one.
• The tradition of using a baby to signify the new
year was begun in Greece around 600 BC. •
Circles are a must on New Years Eve in the
Philippines. You'll find many wearing outfits with polka-dots or
other circles as it is believed that circles attract good fortune and
wealth. Round fruits are also a must. • New
Year's Eve traditions across the United States usually involve singing Auld
Lang Syne at the stroke of midnight to celebrate the fresh start of the new
year. • Down here in the
South eating black-eyed peas on New
Year's Eve is said to bring good luck the whole year through. Want wealth?
Try corn bread, cabbage, collard greens, or kale!
• The Tournament of Roses Parade dates back to
1886.
In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out
in friendship, never in want. - Irish Toast
Never tell your resolution beforehand, or it's twice as
onerous a duty. - John Selden
Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth
- Martin Luther
May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's
resolutions. - Joey Adams
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going
to put words on them ourselves. The book is called "Opportunity" and its
first chapter is New Year's Day. - Edith Lovejoy Pierce |
•
Atlanta's
Very Own "Peach Drop"
Underground Atlanta is the place to be if you're looking for a party of huge
proportions.
Website• In
Japan Buddhist temples ring their bell for 108 times.
•
Silvester in Berlin
Over a million people will gather for the New Years Eve celebration in
Berlin! Website
• Eating pickled herring as the first bite of the
New Year brings good luck to those of Polish
descent.
• The French
call New Year's Eve la Saint-Sylvestre.
•
Sydney
Harbor, Australia
We think Sydney's fireworks rank right up there with the best of the best
(if not THE best).
Website
• In Turkey
homes and streets are lit up in glittering lights, ornamented trees, and
garlands. Small gifts maybe exchanged.
• The tradition of making New Years resolutions
dates back to Babylon.
• In Greece,
St. Basil fills the children's shoes with presents at midnight.
• An old Irish
tradition involves banging on the door and walls with Christmas bread to
chase the bad luck out and bring good spirits to the household with the
promise of bread enough in the New Year. • In Northern Portugal
children go caroling from home to home and are given treats and coins. A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to the
world! - Charles Dickens We meet today
To thank Thee for the era done,
And Thee for the opening one
- John Greenleaf Whittier Be always at war with your
vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better
man. - Benjamin Franklin Youth is when you're
allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced
to. - Bill Vaughn One resolution I have made, and
try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things. - John
Burroughs Year's end is neither an end nor a
beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in
us. - Hal Borland |
•
Times
Square, New York
Possibly the most well-known of them all! Visit their website to learn about
what goes on behind the scenes. You can even watch to celebration on-line!
Website
Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Goes 'Green' on 100th Anniversary
NEW YORK — The Times Square New
Year's Eve ball is celebrating its centennial by going green.
The star of the world-famous
holiday extravaganza was revamped this year with 9,576
energy-efficient bulbs that use...
More
• A German/Pennsylvania Dutch
tradition is to eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's day for good luck.
•
Edinburgh's
Hogmanay
Edinburgh Scotland's Hogmanay is a jam-packed four-day celebration already
underway.
Website
• In Spain it
is believed that wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve brings good luck.
• Copacabana Beach in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil: We read that over 3 million might be hanging
around for this celebration. There's a good chance someone was exaggerating.
• Wear yellow underwear on New Year's Eve in
Venezuela and love should come your way.
Want to travel? Be sure to carry some luggage on New Years Eve!
• Olie Bollen ("oil balls") are a traditional New
Year's Eve treat for the Dutch. They're
much better tasting than the translation would lead you to believe! They're
puffy donuts filled with raisins and other fruits.
The object of a new year is not that we should have a new
year. It is that we should have a new soul. - G. K. Chesterton
A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year. - Edward A. Guest
New Year's Day is every man's birthday. - Charles Lamb
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson |
