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We could all use a bit of extra luck from time to time. From Shinto talismans to lucky chocolates, these good luck charms from Japan will have your fortunes changing from bad to good to better in no time.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

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9 Japanese Symbols of Luck and Good Fortune

We could all use a bit of extra luck from time to time. From Shinto talismans to lucky chocolates, these good luck charms from Japan will have your fortunes changing from bad to good to better in no time.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

Maneki Neko, the beckoning cat

The Maneki Neko is a cat figurine believed to bring good luck. A classic Maneki Neko looks like Japanese bobtail cats with a calico coat, but the cat now comes in all types and colors. Typically, one or both paws are raised. They are often called “waving cats” in English because of the position of the paw, but in Japan, this gesture, with the palm facing down, is used to beckon someone toward you. Others see a cat raising a paw to wash itself.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/zen-garden-anita-goodesign-flowers-japanese-kanji-symbols-and-japanese-crests.html

Omamori, lucky talismans

Omamori are protective amulets that people can buy from shrines. The talisman is wrapped up in a brocade bag, and it’s considered bad luck to open it and peek inside. There are omamori meant as a general good luck charm, while others are very specific. There are charms for good grades, good fortune in business or love, and even for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/zen-garden-anita-goodesign-flowers-japanese-kanji-symbols-and-japanese-crests.html

Daruma, Bodhidharma dolls

Daruma dolls are figurines modeled after the Bodhidharma, the monk who founded Zen Buddhism. They are typically hollow, rounded figures with red clothes painted on, but each artist is free to take liberties with the design. The Daruma doll’s expertise is in wishes. When you buy them, the eyes are empty. You paint one eye and make a wish. When it comes true, you fill in the second eye to complete the pair.

Omikuji, paper fortunes

Omikuji are strips of paper containing good or bad predictions. They are available at shrines and temples in return for a small donation. If the fortune is good, you keep it and hang on to your luck. If the prophecy is bad, you tie the strip up on a wire or string at the shrine with the others and leave the bad luck behind you.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/zen-garden-anita-goodesign-flowers-japanese-kanji-symbols-and-japanese-crests.html

Ema, wishing plaques

Ema are a common sight at many shrines. They are small wooden plaques that people write their dreams and wishes on as a public declaration, and sometimes in the hopes that the resident kami (Shinto deity) will one day hear them. These wooden plaques are eventually burned in ceremonial fires at the shrines.

Koinobori, carp streamers

Koinobori are carp streamers. They are a traditional decoration for Children’s Day, a national holiday that occurs in May each year. These windsocks are a symbol of good luck and represent the family’s wishes to have happy, healthy and successful children.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/zen-garden-anita-goodesign-flowers-japanese-kanji-symbols-and-japanese-crests.html

Osechi ryori, New Year cooking

Osechi ryori are traditional foods eaten around New Year’s in Japan. Many of these foods are meant to bring luck in the new year for a certain aspect of life. For example, those wishing for children eat kazunoko or marinated herring roe, while those praying for good health eat soybeans.

Senbazuru, 1,000 paper cranes

Senbazuru are strings of 1,000 origami cranes—typically 25 strings, each with 40 cranes. Just like in the story of Sadako Sasaki and her thousand paper cranes, it’s believed that completing all 1,000 of them will grant the owner a wish. Senbazuru have become a symbol of healing and hope.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/zen-garden-anita-goodesign-flowers-japanese-kanji-symbols-and-japanese-crests.html

Kat Kat, the luckiest chocolate

Kit Kat came to Japan in the early 1970s. The chocolate ended up being very successful for a few reasons. One was that the name sounded similar to the Japanese kitto katsu or “surely win.” As a result, the chocolate became a popular gift for students around exam time, and many still associate it with luck and good fortune.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/zen-garden-anita-goodesign-flowers-japanese-kanji-symbols-and-japanese-crests.html

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New Year's Eve is right around the corner and soon we will be entering 2022.Feeling anxious about being in public places due to the omicron variant, had your plans canceled or just want to stay in and celebrate at home with your family and close friends? From board game competitions to eating "lucky" food, here's a list of fun things to do at home and still ring in the New Year.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

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New Year's Eve plans canceled? Here are some fun ways to celebrate the holiday at home

New Year's Eve is right around the corner and soon we will be entering 2022.Feeling anxious about being in public places due to the omicron variant, had your plans canceled or just want to stay in and celebrate at home with your family and close friends? From board game competitions to eating "lucky" food, here's a list of fun things to do at home and still ring in the New Year.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

Throw a charcuterie/cocktail party

Invite over a close group of friends or family members to have a potluck dinner.

Everyone has to bring over their own version of a charcuterie board, but have fun with it. Sure, someone can bring over a board of cheese, crackers and olives, but suggest someone bring over an ice cream board or pizza board to make things more tasty. As well, advise your guests to also bring a pitcher of their favorite cocktail to share at the party.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-years-eve-2020-12-28-new-years-eve-2-0-2-1-3-c-o-u-r-s-e-p-r-e-f-i.html

New resolutions

Was your resolution at the beginning of 2021 to eat healthier, lose weight or get your body toned? Throw those out the window this new year.

Let's focus on a new resolution that will not have you struggling with food or your health. If you want to take an easy approach, perhaps promise yourself to read a new book every month or volunteer at a local agency to help our your community. Try not to start off the new year stressed out by picking a resolution that seems out of reach.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-years-eve-2020-12-28-new-years-eve-2-0-2-1-3-c-o-u-r-s-e-p-r-e-f-i.html

New Year's Eve TV specials

Let's end the year by relaxing on your couch watching some of television's New Year's Eve celebrations.

Of course, you can watch "Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest" on ABC, which is celebrating its 50th year, but there are two other specials to view.

lose out the year with some country's biggest artists by watching "New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” on CBS. Not a country fan? Flip over to NBC to watch "Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party Hosted By Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson." Produced by "Saturday Night Live's" Lorne Michaels, the lineup will include special guests and musical performances.

'Lucky' dinner

Wanting to start off 2022 with some extra luck? Have your last meal of this year be full of "lucky" foods.

You can munch on pork, black eyed peas, lentils or herring for prosperity in the new year. To attract wealth in 2022, eat collard greens, cornbread or sauerkraut. Enjoy noodles? Eat a bowl of soba noodles to bring longevity for the next year. Want next year to come full circle? Enjoy a donut as the clock strikes midnight. For true luck to be with you all of 2022, eat 12 grapes at once or a whole fish — head to tail.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-years-eve-2020-12-28-new-years-eve-2-0-2-1-3-c-o-u-r-s-e-p-r-e-f-i.html

Put together a scrapbook

Go out and buy scrapbook materials and put together your favorite moments of 2021. Have each person in your family be in charge of a page to make it more unique. Maybe have everyone pick their fondest memory from each month and have a page where everyone puts their favorite moment of the year. Make the whole book fit a theme such as black and gold, retro, fireworks or clocks.

Foreign traditions

Celebrating culture is a fun, interesting way to celebrate New Year's Eve this year.

Be like the Greeks and hang onions on your doorway. The smelly but delicious veggie is a symbol of rebirth and will promote growth throughout the new year.

In Denmark, when the clock strikes midnight people jump off chairs by "jumping into the new year." It's popular with the little ones and is supposed to bring good luck. Other traditions you can partake in are sprinkling salt on your doorstep to promote peace like those in Turkey do or be like the Armenians and bake bread for luck.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-years-eve-2020-12-28-new-years-eve-2-0-2-1-3-c-o-u-r-s-e-p-r-e-f-i.html

Make a time capsule

2021 has been an interesting year to say the least. What better way to commemorate this whirlwind than with a time capsule?

Gather some ticket stubs from movies or concerts you attended, a few photos and maybe a handwritten letter summarizing how 2021 went for you. Make it accessible for every family member by purchasing some mason jars so they each have their own capsule and can decorate as desired. If you don't want to dig up your backyard with a plethora of holes, place the jars in safe storage and revisit them next New Year's Eve.

Famous firework shows

Instead of waiting for fireworks to show up on your television screen around midnight, why not watch famous firework shows from years past?

YouTube will be your friend for this binge marathon. The better part? The shows don't have to be fixated just on celebrating New Year's Eve. Maybe you remember going to Walt Disney World as a child and want to relive seeing that firework show with your children. Additionally, you can view firework shows from past years from around the world. Just typing in "firework shows" on YouTube reveals a 33-minute firework festival from Japan.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-years-eve-2020-12-28-new-years-eve-2-0-2-1-3-c-o-u-r-s-e-p-r-e-f-i.html

Board game marathon

Let's end the year with fun and competition.

Starting at 6 p.m., gather everyone at home to start a board game marathon at the top of each hour until midnight. Depending on how many people are in your household, you might need to add or take away some board games. Play board games though that will not take longer than an hour, so Monopoly is definitely off the list. Caller-Times suggests Jenga, Uno, Battleship, Guess Who, Connect Four and Scrabble. Make it more interesting by adding rewards for the top player of each hour.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-years-eve-2020-12-28-new-years-eve-2-0-2-1-3-c-o-u-r-s-e-p-r-e-f-i.html

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The New Year is a holiday celebrated worldwide, with unique dos and don’ts and various traditional foods from country to country. Here are 15 customs from all over the globe that’ll bring you prosperity, love, and good fortune in the coming year.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

[jayceparkblog]

15 Things People Around the World Do for Good Luck in the New Year

The New Year is a holiday celebrated worldwide, with unique dos and don’ts and various traditional foods from country to country. Here are 15 customs from all over the globe that’ll bring you prosperity, love, and good fortune in the coming year.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

Blacken the eye of a doll – Japan

In Japan, a daruma is a good luck talisman meant to encourage people in achieving their goals. A new daruma is purchased with blank eyes, and the left eye is filled in as a wish is made. When the wish is granted or one year has safely passed, the right eye is filled in. At the end of the year, the spent dolls are returned to a temple, where they are burned to symbolize moving forward from the struggles of the past year.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/horse-shoe-confers-good-luck-to-good-luck-for-the-new-year-one-should-sleep-with.html

Don’t wash your hair – Korea

Korea is a highly superstitious country, and it’s considered bad luck to wash your hair on New Year’s Day. That’s because the new year represents a new beginning with fresh luck, and washing your hair essentially rinses all that luck away.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/horse-shoe-confers-good-luck-to-good-luck-for-the-new-year-one-should-sleep-with.html

Eat fish for good fortune – China

Chinese culture is full of New Year’s customs associated with food and wordplay. For example, the word for fish in Chinese (鱼) is pronounced ‘yu’, the same as the word for prosperity (余), so eating a whole fish together with family is believed to bring wealth in the new year. There are many traditional rules associated with eating New Year’s fish, such as the head of the fish must be pointed toward elders, and the person facing the head of the fish must eat first.

Eat round fruit – Philippines

In the Philippines, eating circular fruit like apples, Asian pears, and peaches is believed to attract abundance and wealth. In fact, almost anything associated with round shapes is considered good luck, including wearing polka dotted clothing and throwing coins at the stroke of midnight.

Out with the old (literally) – Italy

An old New Year’s tradition in Italy is to throw household items like crockery, plates, and glass out of upper-storey windows to drive out bad omens and start the coming year fresh. Even though the custom has fallen out of vogue and is rarely practised today, it doesn’t hurt to keep alert for broken glass when walking around at night on New Year’s Eve.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/horse-shoe-confers-good-luck-to-good-luck-for-the-new-year-one-should-sleep-with.html

Consume a dozen grapes – Spain

In Spain, it’s traditional to eat 12 green grapes, one for each strike of the clock come midnight on New Year’s – if you can finish them in time, you’ll have luck all year. The custom is said to have originated in 1909 when Spain experienced a bumper grape harvest in Alicante, its principal grape growing region. When you’re done, toast to the new year with a glass of cava, sparkling Spanish wine.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/horse-shoe-confers-good-luck-to-good-luck-for-the-new-year-one-should-sleep-with.html

Eat with great gusto – France

In France, people spend New Year’s Eve with close friends and family enjoying a lavish multi-course meal featuring oysters, foie gras, and champagne. The meal is called le réveillon, the same as Christmas Eve dinner, so it’s sometimes referred to as le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre to help distinguish between the two. The dinner is said to welcome prosperity in the coming year.

Eat a carp and keep the scale – Germany

In Germany, Silvesterkarpfen (‘New Year’s Carp’) is a traditional dish to eat on New Year’s Eve. Carp is considered a lucky food in Germany, and keeping a scale from the carp in your wallet or around the house is believed to bring wealth to you and your household. However, the scale must be kept in your wallet all year, as removing it early would remove the luck.

Receive a gift from a tall, dark, and handsome stranger – Scotland

Celebrate Hogmanay, or the Scottish equivalent of New Year’s Eve, with a tradition known as the ‘first footing’. In Scotland, the first visitor to cross the threshold in the new year is said to bring good luck, especially if they’re tall and dark of hair – and the handsomer the better. The so-called ‘first footer’ typically arrives bearing gifts, including silver coins, shortbread, and whisky. Fair-colored visitors, however, are believed to be an unlucky omen as they call back to the Viking invasions of the 8th and 9th centuries.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/horse-shoe-confers-good-luck-to-good-luck-for-the-new-year-one-should-sleep-with.html

Place leaves under your pillow – Ireland

For luck in love, Irish singles are encouraged to tuck leaves of holly or ivy beneath their pillow before they go to bed on New Year’s Eve, so that they’ll dream of the person they will one day marry. In modern times, the practice has extended to sprigs of mistletoe, although it is not native to Ireland, perhaps because of the adopted holiday tradition of kissing under the mistletoe.

Put a ring in it – Mexico

In Mexico, New Year’s is celebrated at the stroke of midnight with a drink of bubbly, as in many other countries around the world. However, one unique tradition amongst Latinos that was inherited from the Spanish, is to add a gold ring to the bottom glass before toasting ‘¡salud!’ in order to attract prosperity. In Mexico, this can be any small gold object, including gold chains, pendants, or a cameo brooch.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/horse-shoe-confers-good-luck-to-good-luck-for-the-new-year-one-should-sleep-with.html

Burn an effigy – Ecuador and Panama

Burning a scarecrow stuffed with newspaper and sawdust, called an ‘año viejo’ in Ecuador and a ‘muñeco‘in Panama, is believed to drive away any bad energy from the past year and welcome in good vibes. The effigy may be given the face of a political figure that people would like to see less of in the coming year.

Take your empty suitcase around the block – Colombia

In Colombia, going for a walk around the neighborhood with your empty suitcase is said to bring a year ahead filled with travel and adventures. While some people simply wheel their bag around the house or leave it by the front door, taking your luggage on a proper journey around the block is said to better ensure your chances of journeying abroad. This tradition is not limited only to Colombia, but can be found in a number of countries around Central and South America.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/horse-shoe-confers-good-luck-to-good-luck-for-the-new-year-one-should-sleep-with.html

Eat beans for employment success – Argentina

Eating beans is a New Year’s tradition in Argentina. It’s said to bring good luck in finding employment for job seekers, keeping their current job for those who are already employed, or landing a better job for those looking for new opportunities.

Pray away the bad – Nigeria

Nigeria is a diverse country, home to people of many different ethnic groups and religions. On New Year’s Eve, whatever their beliefs, Nigerians gather at their local churches, shrines, and mosques to renounce any bad deeds from the past twelve months and offer up prayers for an auspicious new year. Many people also travel back to their villages from the cities where they work, or even from other countries, to come home for the New Year’s festivities.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/horse-shoe-confers-good-luck-to-good-luck-for-the-new-year-one-should-sleep-with.html

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Dubai has made headlines time and time again because of its splendid fireworks show on New Year’s Eve, making it one of the best destinations for tourists to start a new year. During the holiday season, Dubai becomes packed with people and almost every venue in the city offers a fantastic New Year’s experience, including dinners, galas and parties. Whether one is willing to drop some serious money on starting their year right or wishes to hit midnight while staying on a budget, there’s no shortage of incredible places in Dubai in which to spend this special occasion.

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The Best Places to Spend New Year's Eve in Dubai

Dubai has made headlines time and time again because of its splendid fireworks show on New Year’s Eve, making it one of the best destinations for tourists to start a new year. During the holiday season, Dubai becomes packed with people and almost every venue in the city offers a fantastic New Year’s experience, including dinners, galas and parties. Whether one is willing to drop some serious money on starting their year right or wishes to hit midnight while staying on a budget, there’s no shortage of incredible places in Dubai in which to spend this special occasion.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

Free views of the fireworks

All public beaches in Dubai welcome residents and tourists on New Year’s Eve to watch the fireworks show. Perhaps the most epic view can be seen from Sunset Beach, right next to one of Dubai’s main postcard locations, the Burj Al Arab. The world-renowned 7 star hotel hosts one of the most beautiful fireworks shows in the city, and Sunset Beach is the perfect place to watch it from. In order to spend absolutely nothing while washing away the year, this is the place to head. The beach becomes extremely packed, so it’s crucial to arrive early.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-yearas-in-dubai-new-yearas-in-dubai-december-28-2020-a-january-2.html

What can be better than watching the Burj Al Arab fireworks for free? Watching both the Burj Al Arab and The Palm Jumeirah fireworks at once – also for free. Al Sufouh Beach is strategically located in between these two major attraction, both known for their New Year’s fireworks. The beach is opened to the public year-round, and gets packed during New Year’s Eve. The awesome thing about this beach is that people can actually drive their cars onto the sand, making it ever so convenient and comfortable to watch the show for free.

The best views

Jumeirah Beach Hotel

For those who want to watch the Burj Al Arab fireworks in a bit more comfort than standing on a public beach, Jumeirah Beach Hotel is the perfect destination. The wave-shaped hotel is one of the most popular in the city and is located right in front of the Burj Al Arab. The hotel has a selection of restaurants that put on New Year’s celebrations. Prices vary from 595 AED at the Palm Court, to 3,750 AED at the Starry Night Arena. All food and beverage outlets offer a free flow of house beverages for the evening, including champagne to toast the New Year.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-yearas-in-dubai-new-yearas-in-dubai-december-28-2020-a-january-2.html

The Souk Madinat Jumeirah is known for having one of the most unique views of the Burj Al Arab, overlooking its water canals. This makes it an ideal spot from which to watch the fireworks on New Year’s Eve. The traditional Arab-style market has dozens of restaurants and bars in which to spend the last few minutes of the year, and caters to all kinds of budgets. It’s important to book in advance; be aware that outdoor seating is considerably more expensive on this celebratory occasion.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-yearas-in-dubai-new-yearas-in-dubai-december-28-2020-a-january-2.html

For those looking to escape the Burj Al Arab crowd, heading to Jumeirah Emirates Towers is a fantastic idea. The tallest building in the world provides viewers with an unforgettable midnight show, and Dubai’s twin towers are the perfect place to watch it from. With restaurant rates varying from 300 AED to 950 AED on this big night, the Jumeirah Emirates Towers is an attractive option for many different budgets.

Undoubtedly the most fantastic location from which to watch the Burj Khalifa fireworks and spend New Year’s Eve in Dubai, Souk Al Bahar is located right next to Dubai Mall. Although the Dubai Mall does not serve alcohol, food and beverage outlets in Souk Al Bahar do, so you can toast to the new year.

New Year’s in style

This place offers lavish cuisine, premium champagne and an exquisite view of the Palm Jumeirah fireworks. Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is a hotel in which people go to spend New Year’s Eve in style. It’s a place for those who are willing to spend a little more on their New Year’s festivities, with prices as high as 2,900 AED. The luxurious hotel has impeccable decor and will make for an unforgettable start to the new year.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-yearas-in-dubai-new-yearas-in-dubai-december-28-2020-a-january-2.html

Jumeirah Al Qasr

Jumeirah Al Qasr Hotel’s Pierchic offers an extravagant dinner that will make any other New Year’s celebration seem like a mere night out. The five-course dinner ranges in price from 3,500 AED to 5,500 AED depending on the seating, and includes a free flow of champagne. Spending the night here is definitely the experience of a lifetime.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-yearas-in-dubai-new-yearas-in-dubai-december-28-2020-a-january-2.html

[jayceparkblog]

You might, for instance, be wondering when the very first celebration of New Year's took place (hint: it was 4,000 years ago!), or how that age-old tradition of making New Year's resolutions came to be. And what exactly is the story behind the practice of smooching your loved one at midnight? If you're looking for a deeper look behind the history of the holiday, here are some fascinating New Year's history facts that's sure to get you ready for 2021 — especially after a delicious New Year's Eve dinner and a glass of bubbly.

From festive countdown parties to the iconic ball drop at Times Square, the start of the New Year has always been a massive event filled with celebratory champagne toasts, a lively rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” and plenty of other fun New Year's traditions. But while millions of people celebrate this holiday every year, there's probably a lot about the New Year's history that you may not know — including where the holiday first originated and how it came about.

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Why Do We Celebrate New Year's Day? A Fascinating Look Into New Year's History

From festive countdown parties to the iconic ball drop at Times Square, the start of the New Year has always been a massive event filled with celebratory champagne toasts, a lively rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” and plenty of other fun New Year's traditions. But while millions of people celebrate this holiday every year, there's probably a lot about the New Year's history that you may not know — including where the holiday first originated and how it came about.

You might, for instance, be wondering when the very first celebration of New Year's took place (hint: it was 4,000 years ago!), or how that age-old tradition of making New Year's resolutions came to be. And what exactly is the story behind the practice of smooching your loved one at midnight? If you're looking for a deeper look behind the history of the holiday, here are some fascinating New Year's history facts that's sure to get you ready for 2021 — especially after a delicious New Year's Eve dinner and a glass of bubbly.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

How did New Year's Day become a holiday?

You might be surprised to know that New Year's has a long, ancient history; in fact, the earliest recorded celebration to honor the new year is believed to date back some 4,000 years — in 2,000 B.C. — to ancient Babylon. According to History.com, these Babylonians celebrated the new year at the first new moon after the vernal equinox (usually around late March) with an 11-day festival called Akitu, which involved a different ritual on each of its days. The holiday celebrated the mythical victory of the sky god Marduk over the sea goddess Tiamat, and also involved the act of either crowning a new king or allowing the old king to continue his rule. Either way, this 11-day festival would probably have put our current New Year's Eve parties to shame!

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/happy-re-new-year-wwwturnbacktogodcom-happy-re-new-year-wwwturnbacktogodcom.html

Why do we celebrate New Year's in January?

Though the date of New Year's Day is obvious to us now, the holiday wasn't always celebrated in January. Throughout time, different civilizations typically welcomed the new year during a significant astronomical or agricultural event — like the Romans who celebrated in March, following their lunar cycle — until 46 B.C., when the emperor Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar. Honoring the month's namesake Janus — the Roman god of beginnings whose two faces allowed him to look simultaneously into the past and the future — Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year. On this newly-dated holiday, the Romans celebrated not only by offering sacrifices to Janus, but also by exchanging gifts, attending parties and decorating their homes with laurel branches.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/happy-re-new-year-wwwturnbacktogodcom-happy-re-new-year-wwwturnbacktogodcom.html

How is New Year's celebrated around the world?

Today, the New Year is celebrated in different ways all around the world, but typical New Year's traditions include everything from toasting with champagne and eating foods thought to bestow good luck to making resolutions for the coming year — a practice that's actually thought to have originated from the ancient Babylonians! As for that age-old custom of kissing your loved one at the stroke of midnight, this tradition is thought to have been passed down from English and German folklore, which held that the first person you encountered in the New Year would determine the year's destiny. Eventually, the tradition evolved over time to actually choosing who you wanted the year's good luck to be shared with.

Many other countries have traditions that might be lesser well-known — for instance, in Colombia, people wear brand-new yellow underwear to ring in the New Year, and also run around the house (or block) with a suitcase to ensure that the upcoming year is filled with travel. The Danes jump off of chairs at the stroke of midnight to literally "leap" into a luck-filled new year, while folks in Spain practice the custom of eating 12 grapes at or before midnight!

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/happy-re-new-year-wwwturnbacktogodcom-happy-re-new-year-wwwturnbacktogodcom.html

Why do we drop the ball on New Year's Eve?

One of the most iconic New Years' traditions is the ball-drop at New York City's Time Square — but why exactly do we watch a giant, lit-up ball slide down a pole at midnight anyway? According to the official Times Square Ball website, the ball drop has been a tradition since 1907, with the first New Year's Eve Ball having been a 700-pound sphere made out of iron, wood and 100 light bulbs. The custom was inspired by an old maritime tradition, in which "time balls" were dropped at noon so sailors could adjust their clocks to the local time.

Since the first ball drop in 1907, a total of seven different versions of the New Year's Eve Ball have been designed. Eventually, the ball evolved into the newest (and coolest) version that it is today: a brightly patterned orb covered with LED lamps and Waterford Crystal panels that weighs in at nearly 12,000 pounds!

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/happy-re-new-year-wwwturnbacktogodcom-happy-re-new-year-wwwturnbacktogodcom.html

[jayceparkblog]

New Year’s has always been an important holiday in Japan. It’s a chance for families to not only reflect on the past year and their dreams for the future but also to spend time together, catch up, cook, eat, and play games. Discover both modern and traditional Japanese New Year’s traditions.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

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7 Japanese New Year’s Traditions

New Year’s has always been an important holiday in Japan. It’s a chance for families to not only reflect on the past year and their dreams for the future but also to spend time together, catch up, cook, eat, and play games. Discover both modern and traditional Japanese New Year’s traditions.

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Joya no kane

Every year at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, Buddhist temples all over Japan ring their bonsho (temple bells) an even 108 times, an event known as joya no kane. This number represents the number of human desires, which according to the Buddhist faith lead to pain and suffering. Joya no kane is a ritual meant to drive away these negative emotions from the past year.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/itabashi-japanese-garden-burlington-incorporates-the-traditions-of-japanese-garden.html

Toshikoshi soba

Toshikoshi soba, or year-end soba, is a dish of noodles in hot broth traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve. It’s a simple meal usually enjoyed at home with family or friends. There’s no set recipe for toshikoshi soba; therefore, everyone can add their own little twist to the dish.

O-sechi ryori

O-sechi ryori is the New Year’s Day feast. Each element of the dinner is intended to invite luck, prosperity, and good health for the new year. This annual tradition once required days of meticulous planning and preparation, but luckily, people can purchase premade o-sechi in advance from department stores and restaurants.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/itabashi-japanese-garden-burlington-incorporates-the-traditions-of-japanese-garden.html

Mochi

Mochi, a type of chewy rice cake, is a classic Japanese New Year’s food. These little round cakes are even used in certain New Year’s decorations, such as the kagami mochi. A very traditional New Year’s activity is preparing the mochi yourself on New Year’s Day. Making mochi requires a lot of time and effort though, so most people are happy to buy premade versions.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/itabashi-japanese-garden-burlington-incorporates-the-traditions-of-japanese-garden.html

Nenga

Nenga are New Year’s greetings. Sending nenga greeting cards to friends and family is a very popular New Year’s tradition. So at this time of year in Japan, the post office makes a special effort to ensure everyone’s nenga are delivered on New Year’s Day.

Hatsumode

During the first few days of the new year, many people head out for hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year, to pray, make wishes, express gratitude, and stock up on lucky charms. Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines are lively on this day, with snack vendors and stalls giving the occasion a festive atmosphere.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/itabashi-japanese-garden-burlington-incorporates-the-traditions-of-japanese-garden.html

Hatsuhinode

Hatsuhinode is the first sunrise of the new year. People gather on mountaintops, observatories, beaches, and anywhere else with a good view of the horizon to catch the hatsuhinode and pray for good fortune and happiness in the coming year.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/itabashi-japanese-garden-burlington-incorporates-the-traditions-of-japanese-garden.html

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This year has come to an end, and we all are ready to welcome 2020. We all preparing for New Year's Eve party and some of us have already started listing down all the new year resolutions for 2020. But did you know that this is not the only new year celebrated in India? 

Thanks to the cultural diversity of India, the masses of the country celebrates the New Year followed by both solar and lunar calendar system. Hindu calendar, which is based on the movement of the moon, has the maximum number of new years while the other religious new years are like Islamic New year! 

Every region has a unique culture and traditions of celebrating the New Year. Majorly New Year is celebrated at the time of harvesting of crops. Today, we are listing the major New Year celebrations from different parts of the country.

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9 Different New Years in India: Celebration of Culture and Harvest!

This year has come to an end, and we all are ready to welcome 2020. We all preparing for New Year's Eve party and some of us have already started listing down all the new year resolutions for 2020. But did you know that this is not the only new year celebrated in India? 

Thanks to the cultural diversity of India, the masses of the country celebrates the New Year followed by both solar and lunar calendar system. Hindu calendar, which is based on the movement of the moon, has the maximum number of new years while the other religious new years are like Islamic New year! 

Every region has a unique culture and traditions of celebrating the New Year. Majorly New Year is celebrated at the time of harvesting of crops. Today, we are listing the major New Year celebrations from different parts of the country.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

1. Baisakhi - Punjab

Baisakhi is the biggest harvest festival celebrated across entire North India. Baisakhi holds a special place in the land of Five rivers, Punjab. Commemorating the first day of the Vaisakh month, the Sikh community of Punjab also celebrates this day as the formation of the Sikh Khalsa. It is celebrated mainly at the birthplace of the Khalsa and the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-india.html

2. Jude Sheetal - Bihar, Jharkhand

Also known as Maithili New Year, it is celebrated by the Maithilis in Bihar, Jharkhand and even Nepal. Maithili New Year is usually celebrated on the 14th of April according to the Gregorian calendar. 

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-india.html

3. Bohag Bihu - North Eastern States

Also known as Rangali Bihu, Bohag Bihu also falls on the day of Baisakhi and Puthandu in Assam. Celebrating the new harvest with lots of sweets, shared among the family and friends with the exchange of more gifts. Bohag Bihu is celebrated for three days straight with many different traditions. Bihu dance is a form of celebration for the people

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-india.html

4. Gudi Padwa - Maharashtra

Gudi Padwa is the first day of Chaitra month and marked as the New year in Maharashtra.  A 'Gudi', a beautiful arrangement of silk saree or cloth tied to stick with a 'Lota' on the top and then decorated with sweets and garlands made of neem and mango. The day symbolises the victory of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj over his enemies and Shalivahan’s victory over the Sakas.

5. Ugadi - Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

Ugadi or Yugadi is the New Year celebration of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. It is observed in these regions on the first day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Chaitra. Traditional sweets and 'Pachadi' (sweet syrup) – made with raw mangoes and neem leaves – are served with the Ugadi meal. Ugadi is the festival of new beginnings, so people buy new clothes and eat lots of good food with friends and family. 

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-india.html

6. Jamshedi Navroz

Novruz is the Iranian New Year, celebrated by many ethnolinguistic groups all over the world. In India, on the next day of Pateti, Parsis celebrate Navroz.

7. Vishu - Kerala

Vishu festival marks the beginning of harvest in the bountiful land of Kerala. It is a festival full of lights and fireworks. The day starts with an arranging harvest's fruits, vegetables and seasonal flowers in front of a mirror. This arrangement is called the Vishu Kani. On this day, devotees also visit Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple and Guruvayur Krishna temple for prayers.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-india.html

8. Pohela Boishakh - West Bengal

Another state that celebrates a different New Year is West  Bengal. The Poila or Pohela Boishakh is the first day of the Vaisakh, which is the Bengali New Year. You will witness cultural celebrations all over the state, with Bengalis going on a crazy shopping spree and musical shows. Santiniketan is well known for its Noboborsho (New Year) festivals.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-india.html

9. Islamic New Year 

The Islamic New Year starts on the first day of Muharram, which is the first month of the lunar Hijri calendar that is followed by Islam. The day also marks the migration of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD, and the journey was called Hijrah or Hijri, and hence the name 'Hijri calendar'. The New Year is celebrated with sharing meals and prayers with the family.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-india.html

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Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China. In 2022, Chinese New Year will begin on February 1. Tied to the Chinese lunar calendar, the holiday was traditionally a time to honor household and heavenly deities as well as ancestors. It was also a time to bring family together for feasting. With the popular adoption of the Western calendar in 1912, the Chinese joined in celebrating January 1 as New Year’s Day. China, however, continues to celebrate Chinese New Year with the traditional greeting, “Kung hei fat choi.”

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Chinese New Year 2022: The Year of the Tiger

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China. In 2022, Chinese New Year will begin on February 1. Tied to the Chinese lunar calendar, the holiday was traditionally a time to honor household and heavenly deities as well as ancestors. It was also a time to bring family together for feasting. With the popular adoption of the Western calendar in 1912, the Chinese joined in celebrating January 1 as New Year’s Day. China, however, continues to celebrate Chinese New Year with the traditional greeting, “Kung hei fat choi.”

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

Lunar New Year

The ancient Chinese lunar calendar, on which Chinese New Year is based, functioned as a religious, dynastic and social guide. Oracle bones inscribed with astronomical records indicate that the calendar existed as early as 14th century B.C., when the Shang Dynasty was in power.

The calendar’s structure wasn’t static: It was reset according to which emperor held power and varied from one region to another.

The Chinese calendar was a complex timepiece. Its parameters were set according to the lunar phases as well as the solar solstices and equinoxes. Yin and yang, the opposing but complementary principles that make up a harmonious world, also ruled the calendar.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/chinese-new-year-55b0f7724cb64.html

Chinese New Year typically begins with the new moon that occurs between the end of January and the end of February, and it lasts about 15 days, until the full moon arrives with the Festival of Lanterns.

Chinese New Year Animals

The Chinese calendar also included the Chinese zodiac, the cycle of twelve stations or “signs” along the apparent path of the sun through the cosmos.

Each new year was marked by the characteristics of one of the 12 zodiac animals: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/chinese-new-year-55b0f7724cb64.html

Chinese New Year Traditions

The traditional Chinese New Year was the most important festival on the calendar. The entire attention of the household was fixed on the celebration. During this time, business life came nearly to a stop. Home and family were the principal focuses.

In preparation for the holiday, houses were thoroughly cleaned to rid them of “huiqi,” or inauspicious breaths, which might have collected during the old year. Cleaning was also meant to appease the gods who would be coming down from heaven to make inspections.

Ritual sacrifices of food and paper icons were offered to gods and ancestors. People posted scrolls printed with lucky messages on household gates and set off firecrackers to frighten evil spirits. Elders gave out money to children.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/chinese-new-year-55b0f7724cb64.html

In fact, many of the rites carried out during this period were meant to bring good luck to the household and long life to the family—particularly to the parents.

Chinese New Year Food

Most important was the feasting: On New Year’s Eve, the extended family would join around the table for a meal that included as the last course a fish that was symbolic of abundance and therefore not meant to be eaten.

In the first five days of the New Year, people ate long noodles to symbolize long life. On the 15th and final day of the New Year, round dumplings shaped like the full moon were shared as a sign of the family unit and of perfection.

Spring Festival

The Western-style Gregorian calendar arrived in China along with Jesuit missionaries in 1582. It began to be used by the general population by 1912, and New Year’s Day was officially recognized as occurring on January 1.

Beginning in 1949, under the rule of Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong, the government forbade celebration of the traditional Chinese New Year and followed the Gregorian calendar in its dealings with the West.

But at the end of the 20th century, Chinese leaders were more willing to accept the Chinese tradition. In 1996, China instituted a weeklong vacation during the holiday—now called Spring Festival—giving people the opportunity to travel home and to celebrate the new year.

In the early 21st century, many Chinese families spent a significant amount of their discretionary income celebrating the Spring Festival with traditional symbols and food. They also spent time watching the televised Spring Festival Gala: an annual variety show featuring traditional and contemporary singers, dancers and magic demonstrations.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/chinese-new-year-55b0f7724cb64.html

Although the rites of the holiday no longer had religious value, people remained sensitive to the zodiac animals to the extent that they considered what, for example, a Year of the Pig in 2019 might mean for their personal fortunes or for a child born at that time.

A change in attitude toward the Spring Festival has occurred in China’s young people, with Chinese college students reporting that they prefer surfing the Internet, sleeping, watching TV or spending time with friends over celebrating with family. They also reported not liking traditional New Year food such as dumplings and glutinous rice pastry.

With its change of name from Chinese New Year to Spring Festival, for some members of the younger generation the holiday has evolved from an opportunity to renew family ties to a chance for relaxation from work.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/chinese-new-year-55b0f7724cb64.html

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Ten writers share the local traditions, from the superstitious to the celebratory, that symbolise wiping the slate clean at the end of one year and setting intentions for the next – on whichever date the new year falls.

New Year’s Eve in Brazil follows a script: there is a large evening meal with friends or family, followed by a raucous party on the beach, in the country or in major town squares. There is a semi-strict dress code for New Year in Brazil. Everyone wears white, which, according to African-Brazilian traditions, brings peace for the coming 12 months. But there’s an added element to the New Year outfit that is just as important, even though it’s not (often) on show. The colour of underwear Brazilians wear at midnight on New Year’s Eve is of utmost importance to the superstitious. Each colour indicates a different fate for the coming year. White, like the outerwear, is for peace. Yellow is for wealth and luck. Blue is for calm and tranquillity. Looking for love? Wear pink. Looking for a New Year’s fling? Choose red.