Goodbye 2013!

Christmas is barely over and the next reason to celebrate is already here: New Year’s Eve. Or at least for a big part of the world it is. There are, however, countries where New Year is celebrated on different dates.

The probably most well-known example is China where the Lunar New Year is celebrated on the first new moon of the first lunar month, which falls between January 21 and February 21. This year the Chinese year started on February 10, 2013 and it will end on January 30, 2014. The next year will last from January 31, 2014 to February 18, 2015. Chinese New Year is celebrated in a number of countries with significant Chinese population, including Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. In China New Year’s Eve and the first two days after are public holidays, but most people take more days off and instead work on Saturday before and Sunday after New Year’s. There are many traditions that precede the actual holiday which then lasts for another fifteen days again filled with many traditions. 

Jewish New Year, called Rosh Hashanah, is a two days celebration 163 days after the first day of Pesach, which means the earliest date on which it can fall is September 5 and the latest is October 5. In 2013 it was celebrated on September 5 and September 6. For Jews the holiday is the Judgment Day and the day to take a look at their religious and moral behavior of the past year and pray for a good future. It’s also a day to celebrate. 

Islamic New Year takes place on the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar is based on twelve lunar months and has only 354 days, New Year occurs about eleven days earlier every year in relation to the Gregorian calendar. In 2008 there were even two Muslim New Year’s. In 2013 it was celebrated on November 4.

Many countries were the Eastern Orthodox Church predominates celebrate New Year not only on January 1, but also on January 14 which is the first day of the Julian calendar. It is called Old New Year and celebrated as a religious feast. 

These were just a few examples, there are many more countries that celebrate New Year on a different date than the western world. And even though most countries of the western world might agree on the same date to celebrate, the way how New Year’s Eve and Day are celebrated varies from country to country. 

Here in Austria people usually celebrate in bigger groups with friends and family. A common custom is Molybdomancy, where molten lead or tin is dropped into cold water where it hardens. The forms are often interpreted symbolically. Another tradition is watching the English TV-sketch Dinner for One which is broadcasted every year. At midnight the sound of the Pummerin, the bell of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, is broadcasted by all radio and television programs and then the Donauwalzer (The Blue Danube) is played. Family and friends wish each other “Einen guten Rutsch”, drink to the New Year and fireworks are set off. 

In England the celebrations in London around the Big Ben are televised by the BBC. At midnight people sing Auld Lang Syne and there is a firework. On January 1 celebrations continue with a New Year’s Day Parade.

In Italy wearing red underwear is a tradition. Another one – though it is rarely followed these days – is to get rid of old items by throwing them out of the window. Fireworks are also set off. 

Wearing new red underwear is also a tradition in Spain. The countdown at midnight on New Year's Eve is followed by twelve chimes from the clock on top of the Casa de Correos building on the Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid. It’s traditional to eat a grape on every chime of the clock. After family dinner and eating the grapes many young people attend cotillones de nochevieja parties in pubs or clubs. 

In the US there are also parties on New Year’s Eve and the famous “ball drop” is held on Times Square in New York City. At 11:59 pm ET a Waterford Crystal ball located on the roof of One Times Square is lowered down a 70 feet (that’s about 21 meters) high pole. This tradition comes from time balls that were used as time signalling devices in earlier times.

I personally don’t have a real New Year’s Eve tradition. I usually celebrate with my family or friends, eat and drink a lot and watch the fireworks. 

Wherever or however you are celebrating, I wish you a happy New Year and good luck for 2014!