New Year celebrations

New Year celebrations

On the night of 31 December and the morning of 1 January, people in many countries all over the world will celebrate the beginning of a new year. How will they celebrate and how did this tradition begin?

Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises.

Preparation

'For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.' – TS Eliot

New year, old celebrations

There have been celebrations to mark the beginning of a new year for thousands of years. Sometimes these were simply an opportunity for people to eat, drink and have fun, but in some places the festivities were connected to the land or astronomical events. For example, in Egypt the beginning of the year coincided with when the River Nile flooded, and this normally happened when the star Sirius rose. The Persians and Phoenicians started their new year at the spring equinox (this is around 20 March when the Sun shines more or less directly on the equator and the length of the night and the day are almost the same).

The oldest celebration

The city of Babylon in ancient Mesopotamia was where the first New Year's celebrations were recorded about 4,000 years ago. The Babylonians held their celebrations on the first new moon after the spring equinox and called this festival Akitu (which comes from the word the Sumerians used for barley). Barley was cut in Mesopotamia in the spring, and during Akitu there was a different ritual on each of the 11 days that the celebration lasted. Statues of the gods were carried through the streets of the city, and in this way the Babylonians believed that their world had been cleaned to prepare for the new year and a new spring.

Modern celebrations

In many cities all over the world, spectacular fireworks displays take place as soon as the clock passes midnight on 31 December. In recent years, Sydney in Australia has been the host to one of the first of these celebrations as New Year arrives there before most other major international cities. The display takes place in Sydney Harbour, with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge making it a stunning setting. Fireworks light up the skies in hundreds of cities as 12 midnight strikes around the globe.

Traditions that live on

There are a number of strange and interesting New Year's traditions around the world. In Scotland, New Year's Eve is called Hogmanay and 'first footing' remains a popular custom with people visiting friends' and neighbours' houses just after midnight. The first person who visits your house should bring a gift as this will mean good luck. In Spain, it is the custom to eat 12 grapes as the bells sound for midnight on 31 December. One grape is eaten at each sound of the bell and each grape is supposed to bring good luck for each month of the year ahead. In Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela and some other Central and South American countries, people wear special underwear of different colours on New Year's Eve. Red is supposed to be good for bringing love in the new year, while yellow is supposed to bring money.

Out with the old, in with the new

The new year is a perfect time to make a change for the better. The tradition of making New Year's resolutions is more common in the western hemisphere but also exists in the eastern hemisphere. This tradition involves a person making a commitment to change an unwanted habit or behaviour or setting a personal objective. Typical New Year's resolutions might be to give up smoking, eat healthier food, do more exercise, become more organised or laugh more – but really, a New Year's resolution can be almost anything. However, research suggests that many New Year's resolutions fail. Being realistic about the objectives you set and not making too many New Year's resolutions might help you to achieve success.

Task 1

Task 2

Discussion

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Submitted by simbahcm on Tue, 01/01/2019 - 18:37

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I recalled some traditional new year that I had when I was young. My mom said she would go to community market early where the sellers were also the farmers so she could have a good choice of fresh groceries. The market was always packed with varieties of food and flowers. Some of them we only see once a year on this holiday which makes it so special and memorizable. I don't hear and smell of gun power today. I used to lit firecrackers, wait it to burn down and .... BANG...someone terrified, someone excited...My new year eve was a joyful time when all my siblings gathered surround a campfire used for cooking traditional new year cake. We spent hours talking and playing and forgot how late we were into the night and when I passed out, my mom/brother would brought me home. I couldn't wait for the cake when waking up I would have it for my breakfast. I remember....

Submitted by anie1 on Tue, 01/01/2019 - 17:01

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Hello, I would like to ask which of the following is correct I am wishing you and your family the 2019 to be a healthy year OR I wish you and your family 2019 to be a healthy year Furthermore I wish you and your family is correct? Thank you in advance
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Submitted by Peter M. on Wed, 02/01/2019 - 07:23

In reply to by anie1

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Hello agie,

The verb 'wish' is like the verb 'want' in that we very rarely see it in a continuous form. Here 'I wish...' is correct.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Thank you for your reply. In the following sentence is it correct t say: I wish you and your family the 2019 to be....? Thank you in advance

Hi agie

The structure is 'wish somebody something', so people usually say 'I wish you and your family a joyful and prosperous 2019' or something similar.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Earlytimenews on Tue, 01/01/2019 - 15:14

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I usually celebrate the first day of every year quietly at home and usually spend time with family in prayers and Thanksgiving to God for the opportunity of seeing a new year