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Resources » Articles/Knowledge Sharing » Important Days »

New Year''s tradition and customs around


Posted Date: 21 Oct 2009    Resource Type: Articles/Knowledge Sharing    Category: Important Days
Author: garima jainMember Level: Gold    
Rating: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5Points: 2



With New Year''s upon us, here''s a look at some of the good luck rituals from around the world. They are believed to bring good fortune and prosperity in the coming year.



BABYLONIA



The people of Mesopotamia celebrate the New Year festival known as Akitu in the springtime. At this time they celebrate the arrival of the spring rains and the renewal of nature, as well as the renewal of the community.



At the festival the story of the creation is read out to remind people of the order of the universe and how it had risen out of the struggle between Marduck the god of heaven and Tiamut goddess of the powers of chaos.



BELGIUM



In Belgium New Year''s Eve is called Sint Sylvester Vooranvond or Saint Sylvester Eve. The réveillon or New Year''s Eve family parties are thrown. At midnight everyone kisses, exchanges good luck greetings, and drinks toasts to absent relatives and friends.



The cities and restaurants are crowded with people who bid farewell to the Old Year. New Year''s Day is called Nieuwjaarsdag at this time of the year the children save money to buy decorated paper for writing holiday greetings to parents and god parents.



BENGALI



In Bengali they celebrate New Year on the 13th or 14th of April, which is the first day of the month that they call Baisakh. They clean and decorate their houses in preparation for the New Year.



They use flour to paint patterns on the ground out the front of their houses, in the middle of the design they place an earthenware pot, decorated with a red and white swastika which is a religious symbol, and filled with holy water and vermilion.



Also inside the pot they place a mango tree branch, which must consist of five twigs and a number of leaves. The pot symbolizes good fortune for the family.



BRAZIL



In Brazil the lentil is believed to signify wealth, so on the first day of the New Year they serve lentil soup or lentils and rice. In Brazil on New Year''s Eve priestesses of the local macumba voodoo cult dress in blue skirts and white blouses for a ceremony dedicated to the goddess of water, Yemanja.



A sacrificial boat laden with flowers, candles and jewelry is pushed out to sea from Brazil''s famous Ipenama beach in Rio de Janeiro.



BURMA



The Burmese New Year, which is based on the Fixed Zodiac system, falls on or around April 16. In Burma there is a three day New Year festival called Maha Thingyan, which is celebrated with prayers, fasting and fun.



During the festivities, buildings and temples are washed, and people throw water over each other. This is partly to welcome the heavy rains of the coming monsoon season. The Burmese New Year festival is held to celebrate the New Year, by performing meritorious deeds and spraying one another with Thingyan water.



CAMBODIA



The people of Cambodia use the Indian Calendar to calculate the start of the New Year festival. The festival starts on the 12, 13 or 14 April according to the Gregorian calendar and lasts for three days.



Cambodian New Year''s Eve is the day before whichever date it is and it lasts three days. It is called Chaul Chnam Thmey, which means entering the New Year.



DENMARK



In Denmark it is a good sign to find your door heaped with a pile of broken dishes at New Years. Old dishes are saved year around to throw them at the homes where their friends live on New Years Eve. Many broken dishes were a symbol that you have many friends.





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