Western New Year’s Day: In 46 BC, Julius Caesar set this day as the beginning of the Western New Year, in order to bless the two-faced god “Janus”, the god of doors in Roman mythology, and “Janus” later evolved into the English word January The word “January” has since evolved into the English word “January”.
Britain: The day before New Year’s Day, every household must have wine in the bottle and meat in the cupboard. The British believe that if there is no wine and meat left, they will be poor in the coming year. In addition, the United Kingdom is also popular New Year’s “well water” custom, people are striving to be the first to go to the water, that the first person to hit the water is a happy person, hit the water is the water of good luck.
Belgium: In Belgium, the morning of New Year’s Day, the first thing in the countryside is to pay respect to the animals. People go to the cows, horses, sheep, dogs, cats and other animals, fussing to these living creatures to communicate: “Happy New Year!”
Germany: During New Year’s Day, Germans put up a fir tree and a horizontal tree in every house, with silk flowers tied between the leaves to indicate the prosperity of flowers and spring. They climb on a chair at midnight on New Year’s Eve, a moment before the New Year’s visit, the bell rings, they jumped off the chair, and a heavy object thrown behind the back of the chair, to show that shake off the scourge, jump into the New Year. In the German countryside, there is also a custom of “tree climbing competition” to celebrate the New Year to show that the step is high.
France: New Year’s Day is celebrated with wine, and people start to drink from New Year’s Eve until January 3. The French believe that the weather on New Year’s Day is a sign of the new year. In the early morning of New Year’s Day, they go to the street to look at the direction of the wind to divine: if the wind is blowing from the south, it is a good omen for the wind and rain, and the year will be safe and hot; if the wind is blowing from the west, there will be a good year for fishing and milking; if the wind is blowing from the east, there will be a high yield of fruits; if the wind is blowing from the north, it will be a bad year.
Italy: New Year’s Eve in Italy is a night of revelry. As night begins to fall, thousands of people flock to the streets, lighting firecrackers and fireworks, and even firing live bullets. Men and women dance until midnight. Families pack up old things, some breakable things in the house, smashed to pieces, old pots, bottles and jars are all thrown out the door, indicating the removal of bad luck and troubles, this is their traditional way to say goodbye to the old year to welcome the New Year.
Switzerland: Swiss people have the habit of fitness on New Year’s Day, some of them go climbing in groups, standing at the top of the mountain facing the snowy sky, singing loudly about the good life; some ski along the long snowy path in the mountains and forests, as if they are looking for the road to happiness; some hold stilt walking competitions, men and women, young and old, all together, wishing each other good health. They welcome the new year with fitness.
Romania: On the night before New Year’s Day, people erected tall Christmas trees and set up stages in the square. Citizens sing and dance while burning fireworks. Rural people pull wooden plows decorated with various colored flowers to celebrate the New Year.
Bulgaria: At the New Year’s Day meal, whoever sneezes will bring happiness to the whole family, and the head of the family will promise him the first sheep, cow or foal to wish him happiness to the whole family.
Greece: On New Year’s Day, every family makes a big cake and puts a silver coin inside. The host cuts the cake into several pieces and distributes them to family members or visiting friends and relatives. Whoever eats the piece of cake with the silver coin becomes the luckiest person in the New Year, and everyone congratulates him.
Spain: In Spain, on New Year’s Eve, all family members gather together to celebrate with music and games. When midnight comes and the clock starts ringing at 12 o’clock, everyone competes to eat grapes. If you can eat 12 of them according to the bell, it symbolizes that everything will go well in each month of the New Year.
Denmark: In Denmark, on the night before New Year’s Day, every household collects the broken cups and plates and surreptitiously delivers them to the door of friends’ houses in the dead of night. On the morning of New Year’s Day, if the more pieces are piled up in front of the door, it means that the more friends the family has, the luckier the New Year will be!
Post time: Jan-02-2023