The custom of celebrating New Year's Day abroad
Afghanistan regards spring as New Year's Day; Jews regard autumn as New Year's Day; However, the New Year's Day of Eskimos in cold regions is not fixed. They regard the first rain as the New Year.
Japan
Japan has a national holiday from 65438+February 29th to 65438+1October 3rd every year. The Japanese call 65438+February 3 1 "Great Dark Day", that is, New Year's Eve. On New Year's Eve, the Japanese call it "New Year's Eve". At night, they pray for the gods to send away the troubled old year and usher in a beautiful new year. This is the so-called "first day". At midnight on New Year's Eve, temples in urban and rural areas rang bells 108 to exorcise evil spirits, while the Japanese sat quietly listening to the "Night Bell". When the bell stops, it means the arrival of a new year. People leave their seats and go to bed, hoping to have a good dream. On New Year's morning, families sit around and tell each other about their dreams on New Year's Eve to test good luck or bad luck. The Japanese call the first day of New Year's Day "Zhengri". 1-3 is "Three Congratulations Day". On Sunday, the younger generation will go to their parents' home to pay New Year's greetings, and then go to relatives and friends' home to pay New Year's greetings. The New Year is still a "eating" festival, and people all over the world pray for good luck by eating their own food. On "Zhengri" day, the Japanese will have a big breakfast, including sugar, soba noodles and Tu Su wine. After that, they went vegetarian for three days in a row to show their piety and pray for good luck in the coming year. In modern Japan, most urban people have given up vegetarian food in the New Year and instead have a hollow noodle in the evening to wish a healthy and long life in the new year.
In the new year, a straw rope or a circle made of straw rope is often pulled up above the door of Japanese families, which is called "paper-tied rope" or "paper-tied decoration" Some also put some pine and bamboo, which is called "door pine". Many companies set up memorial archways with pine, bamboo and plums, which are novel in design and unique in style to celebrate. People also put paper-cuts of animals symbolizing longevity inside and outside the house, such as cranes and turtles, to pray for peace. At the same time, according to the zodiac, carve a new year and give gifts to each other. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications also issued a large number of "New Year stamps" with pictures of the New Year. Whether individuals or groups, exchanging New Year cards has become the most popular way to congratulate each other. The Japanese call it a "flying kite", which means deep affection in the distance. Whoever receives more new year cards in the new year will feel that the new year has a bright future, prosperous wealth and special joy. In the new year, the habit of visiting New Year among neighbors, relatives, friends and children is still prevalent. The first sentence when we meet is "Happy New Year".
Egypt
The Egyptians found that when Sirius rose with the sun, the Nile rose immediately. Egypt regards the day when the Nile rises as the beginning of the new year, which is called the "Rising Water New Year". In Croute, people put a table at the door to welcome the New Year. Seven or eight dishes are served with cereals such as soybeans, lentils, alfalfa and wheat, and there are many green plants, which symbolize abundance. The more you give to God, the more you will get in the new year. The New Year in Egypt is in autumn, because agricultural production in Egypt begins in autumn.
Around 50,000 BC, the ancient Egyptians had changed from nomadism to farming and settled on both sides of the Nile, and their agricultural harvest was closely related to whether there was a flood in the Nile. The ancient Egyptians found that the time of Nile flooding was regular from long-term observation, so they recorded this time on bamboo poles every time, and learned that the interval between two flooding times was about 365 days. At the same time, it was found that when the Nile came near Cairo at high tide today, the sun and Sirius rose from the horizon at the same time. Therefore, the ancient Egyptians set this day as the beginning of the year. This is the earliest origin of "Chinese New Year".
India
In India, New Year's Day begins on June 65438+1October 3 1, and the fourth day is New Year's Day. On the first day of the new year, no one is allowed to be angry with others, let alone lose his temper. In some parts of India, on the morning of New Year's Day, every household kept crying, and everyone's face was covered with tears. They greet the New Year with tears, because time flies and life is short, which is a lament for life. In some areas, people welcome the New Year by fasting for one day and one night, from the early morning of New Year's Day to midnight. Because of this weird custom, New Year's Day in India is called "Crying New Year's Day" and "Fasting New Year's Day". On the first five days of the New Year in China, Indians will perform the Indian epic Ramayana, which means Rama's parade and play the English in the epic.
The bear and the paper giant "went to war", the "hero" triggered a burning arrow, and the paper giant caught fire in the cheers of the audience. Before New Year's Eve, all kinds of beautiful pictures were posted in front of every household. On the morning of New Year's Day, people go out to pay New Year greetings to the elderly, relatives and friends with elaborate lanterns and red envelopes. After meeting and congratulating each other, sprinkle red powder on each other's foreheads to show good luck and look up at each other. Young people put red ink into a water gun and shoot it at relatives and friends, which is called "sprinkling red", indicating good luck. Indian youth like to meet and fight with their bare hands during the New Year, whether they are familiar with it or not. Watching and cheering is often the object of girls' pursuit. To celebrate the New Year, Boxler, an indigenous people in central India, erected a smooth and thick wooden pole on the playground, with a small bag full of gifts at the top of the pole. Girls hold bamboo poles and try their best to prevent boys from climbing the pole, while boys form a circle under the pole, trying to defend girls from attacking the pole climber until the pole climber takes the small bag.
North Korea; South Korea
North Korea, like China, has the customs of stick grilles and Fu Tao in the New Year. Koreans put up couplets and New Year pictures in every household during the New Year. Some people stick portraits of birthday girls or fairies on their doors, praying for God's blessing, driving away ghosts and giving people happiness. At the dawn of New Year's Day, people put some money into the scarecrow tied in advance on New Year's Eve and throw it at the crossroads to ward off evil spirits and welcome lucky stars. At dusk, people burn the hair that the whole family has lost for a year and wish their families peace in the four seasons. During the Spring Festival, women in North Korea wear new clothes. On New Year's Day, girls wear a kind of hemp hat called "blessing towel" and colorful and patterned clothes to have a swing competition. They aimed at a tree flower to see who could kick it or bite it first. Others hang bronze bells on high places. Whoever touches the bell first will win. During the New Year, Koreans must cook glutinous rice with pine nuts, chestnut powder, jujube paste and honey, which is similar to China's eight-treasure rice to show that the family is prosperous and sweet as honey.
Britain, England
In Britain, New Year's Day on the Gregorian calendar is not as grand as Christmas, but on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, people will carry out various celebrations according to local customs to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. On New Year's Eve, English people often go out to visit with cakes and wine. They went straight to their relatives and friends' houses without knocking. According to British custom, after the 1001 night of New Year's Eve, the first person who steps into the house indicates the luck of the new year. If the first guest is a man with dark hair, or a happy, happy and rich person, the host will be very lucky all the year round. If the first guest is a woman with light yellow hair, or a sad, poor and unfortunate person, then the host will be unlucky and will encounter difficulties and disasters in the new year. People who visit relatives and friends' homes on New Year's Eve should first stir the fire in the fireplace and wish the host "open the door" before speaking. Most New Year celebrations in Britain are held on the bonfire night on New Year's Eve, and the "welcome banquet" is one of them. This kind of banquet is divided into "family banquet" and "group banquet", which usually starts at 8 pm on New Year's Eve and ends in the early morning of New Year's Day. There are all kinds of wine, food and snacks at the banquet for people to drink all night. At midnight, people turn on the radio and listen to the New Year bell of the church clock. When the bell rang, people were jubilant, raised their glasses and cheered, and sang "Sunlight in the Past". The "New Year's Eve Dance" is another celebration. Local hotels and dances, night arrival. People dressed in festive costumes came to these brightly decorated dance halls from all directions, dancing to the beautiful music, and thousands of people gathered in various squares, singing and dancing around the fountain and the statue of Cupid in the center of the square, and reveling endlessly. Television stations also broadcast live in the square, so that people who "keep the age" can also enjoy this joy.
Germany
There is a week before and after the German New Year celebration. During this period, every household should put a fir tree and a horizontal tree, and the leaves are covered with silk flower, indicating that the flowers are in full bloom and the spring is full. Just before midnight New Year's Eve, the Germans climbed into the chair. As soon as the bell rang, they jumped up from their chairs and threw a heavy object behind the back of the chair to show that they had abandoned the disaster and entered the new year. The children formed a band, put on new clothes and lined up to play in the street with harmonicas and accordions. The adults held colorful flags and shouted and sang behind them to celebrate the New Year. German women will improvise comedy sketches with the theme of family in the New Year. In rural Germany, there is a custom to celebrate the New Year-"Tree Climbing Competition". Boys climb along bare trees, and the first place is called "New Year Hero" to show their promotion step by step.
Brazil
Brazilians hold torches high on New Year's Day and go climbing in groups. People are scrambling to find the golden birch tree that symbolizes happiness. Only those who are fearless can find this rare fruit. They call it "seeking happiness". There is a unique custom in rural Brazil-pulling each other's ears. When people meet in the New Year, they must grab each other's ears to express their blessings.
France
France celebrated the New Year with wine, and people began to revel in drinking on New Year's Eve until 65438+1October 3. The French believe that the weather on New Year's Day indicates a new year. On the morning of New Year's Day, they went to the streets to see the wind direction for divination: the south wind blows, which indicates that the weather will be good and the year will be safe and hot; When the west wind blows, there is a bumper harvest year for fishing and milking; If the east wind blows, the fruit will be rich; When the north wind blows, it is a poor harvest year.
Switzerland
Switzerland: Swiss people have the habit of keeping fit on New Year's Day. Some of them go climbing in groups, standing on the top of the mountain facing the ice and snow, singing loudly about a better life. Some ski along the long snowy road in the mountains, as if looking for the road to happiness; Some hold stilt walking competitions, in which men, women and children go into battle together and wish each other good health. A few weeks before the ceremony, women were busy making clothes for men. People carefully carved disc-shaped headdresses out of wood, some symbolizing houses, others symbolizing bridges and villages. Anyone who takes part in the celebration is dressed as a woman, symbolizing wealth and kindness. The masks they wear have plump cheeks and are all made of wax. They have a little flower in their mouth and the expressions on their faces are "exactly the same". The colorful headdress is also decorated with the motto of the ancestors.
Greece
In the Greek New Year, every family will make a big cake and put a silver coin in it. The host cut the cake into several pieces and distributed it to family members or visiting relatives and friends. Whoever eats the cake with silver coins will become the luckiest person in the new year, and everyone congratulates him.
United States of America
On New Year's Eve in America, people hold bonfire parties outdoors. At twelve o'clock at night, everyone threw the old things into the fire and burned them. They danced around the fire until dawn.
New Year's Day is one of the major festivals celebrated in American states. But in America, the New Year is far less lively than Thanksgiving or Christmas. Americans celebrate the New Year. The most lively thing is New Year's Eve. That night, churches all over the country held grand worship activities. People gather in churches, streets or squares, singing poems, praying, wishing and regretting, and welcoming the time to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. At midnight, 12, church bells rang all over the country. The band played the famous nostalgic song bon voyage. In music, excited people hug and even strangers can kiss each other. In this way, people greet the New Year with farewell sadness and longing for a new life.