Customs Associated with New Year's Day Around the World

New Year's day is a day of new beginnings, and it is a celebrated holiday by many people. There are many traditions associated with New Years day and this article will take a look at the customs associated with New Years day around the world.

Common New Year's day traditions around the world are to give gifts, visit family and friends, and make noises of celebration. Religious services are also a traditional custom on New Years day in many places, and fireworks are also popular customs on this holiday.

United States

New Year's Eve is more commonly celebrated in the United States, and people here gather together to ring in the new year with celebrations and parties. New Year's Eve is widely known for watching the bal drop in Times Square at exactly midnight, and noise making is also very popular. It is also customary to visit with family, watch football, and attend religious services on New Years Day in the U.S.

Belgium

A traditional New Years Day activity in Belgium is for children to write messages on nice paper for their parents. On New Years day children will read this message to their families in honor of the year to come and their parents.

Spain

On New Year's Eve in Spain many people will eat 12 grapes, and this custom symbolizes having 12 good months in the year to come.

Scotland

Scotland is where the famous song "Auld Lang Syne" originated, and this song has been a long held tradition for many people on New Years Day. In Scotland, the New Years Day celebration is known as Hogmanay, and it has many traditions. One tradition is to visit friends and neighbors shortly after midnight on New Years Day; visitors would bring gifts and warm wishes.

The Netherlands

In the Netherlands New Years Day is celebrated with fireworks and large bonfires. People burn their Christmas trees and celebrate in the streets. This fires symbolize a purging of the past and preparing for the new year to come.

Japan

The New Year is a very important holiday in Japan, and many parties are held beforehand. These parties are meant to rid the people of the problems of the year past; during this time grudges are also forgotten, and people prepare for the year to come. At midnight Buddhist ring the temple bell 108 times to signify many weakness of man. During New Years day there is no work, children receive gifts, and there is much rejoicing.

Greece

New Years Day customs in Greece are similar to many traditions around the world except in Greece this holiday is also the festival of St. Basil, and because of this it holds a special custom. A special cake is baked with a gold coin inside of it during this holiday, and the person who receives the coin in their piece of cake can look forward to good luck in the year to come. There are many traditions and customs around the world for this holiday, and they all represent letting go of the past year, and being ready for a new year to come.