A New Day
New year usually depicts new beginnings, resolutions, and a new year which will have many challenges to come. Today, I am going to tell about the history and celebration of new year.
This is the history of new year:
New year has been celebrated 4000 years ago by ancient Babylonians. For them, the first new moon following the vernal equinox- the day in late march with an equal amount of light and darkness marks the beginning of a new year. The first New Year was celebrated on 45 B.C, January 1st for the first time. This was when the Julian calendar came into effect. In the Babylonian times, new year was celebrated on march. But because of the rise of the Julian calendar, New year shifted to January.
The celebration:
Most people have many ways of celebrating new year. Here are a few ways other countries celebrate it:
1.) Spain: Did you know that Spain celebrates new year by eating 12 grapes! They eat one grape for each stroke of the midnight. It is harder than it sounds ( People even practice for it!) but if you do it just right, you will have one year of prosperity.
2.) Denmark : Smashing plates on the front doors sounds dangerous, but in Denmark, people hold on to chipped plates for new year eve. That night, people go door to door smashing plates on their friends or neighbors front doors. The more smashed cutlery you find in the morning, the more popular you become.
3.) Japan: In Japan, buddists temples ring the bells situated in the temples. But they ring it 108 times. Why 108 you ask? Because their are 108 human desires which cause suffering. Thus, by ringing a bell in a buddist temple on new year will remove all bad thoughts on one's mind.
Learning all these traditions was very fun. My family celebrates new year by wearing a new dress, eating at a restaurant and burning one cracker or two. But staying safe is equally important. Bye and Happy New Year!
SHANMUKHA SREE MEDURI
Grade 6D
Orchids The International School Vivekananda
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