With the ringing in of the New Year, individuals try to turn into a new leaf planning to transform their life in the best possible way.
New beginnings lead to new opportunities and possibilities is a concept that symbolizes the New Year Celebration.
As the clock chimes midnight, the whole world bids adieu to the previous year while welcoming the new year with open arms.
With the New Year being such a significant day in the lives of every person across the world, we must know some details about the first day of each year.
We at Travellfy.com, with the help of this blog, will provide you knowledge on where New Year comes from, where New Year is celebrated first, why New Year is celebrated & how New Year is celebrated worldwide!
Where New Year Comes From?
As we celebrate the New Year this year, it is important to know the origins of this day and know where New Year Celebration comes from.
Ancient Roots
The tradition of marking the beginning of a new year can be dated back thousands of years with the earliest recordings tracing back to around 2000 B.C. to ancient Mesopotamia.
In this record, the New Year is said to be linked to the vernal equinox.
Julian To Gregorian Calendar Shift
The calculation of the New Year Celebration was refined when Pope Gregory XIII transitioned the Julian Calendar to Gregorian Calendar in the year 1582.
This transition and adjustment of the calendars aligned the New Year celebrations with the astronomical year while correcting the drift in the previously present calendar.
Where New Year Celebration First?
The first celebrations of the New Year Celebration in ancient history date back to the Mesopotamian and Babylonian festivities.
If we talk about the countries witnessing the New Year first today due to their time zones, it would be the Pacific Island Nations that would make the list.
Mesopotamian Origins
Considered to be the pioneers in celebrating the New Year Celebration, the Mesopotamians held grand and huge ceremonies and celebrations for honouring their god while seeking blessings and favour for the coming year.
Babylonian Festivities
During the vernal equinox, the Babylonians are believed to celebrate a twelve-day festival named Akitu to mark the beginning of the New Year Celebration.
To celebrate the same, they would host elaborate rituals & processions with the hope of having a prosperous year ahead.
Pacific Island Nations – First To Witness New Year Now Due To Their Time Zone
Pacific Island Nations that fall in the Line Islands are the first to hear the clock chime twelve across the whole of planet Earth!
A few of the lucky countries that welcome the New Year Celebration before anyone else are Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga.
Why New Year Is Celebrated?
Every year, the entire world population waits for the New Year Celebration with bated breath to indulge in the celebrations.
The main reason for celebrating New Year is that it symbolizes renewal and has immense cultural and religious significance.
Symbol Of Renewal
New Year symbolizes renewal as it gives every individual a fresh start where they can forget their past and embrace new opportunities and possibilities.
The entire world reflects on their past year and sets appropriate New Year Celebration goals or resolutions while entering the next year.
Cultural & Religious Significance
New Year Celebration has a cultural and religious significance in many cultures of the world.
People carry out elaborate rituals, acts of goodwill like donations and charities as well as prayers to attract positive energy for the coming year.
How New Year Is Celebrated Around The World?
The New Year is celebrated grandly and elaborately across the world irrespective of your age, country or religion.
Every individual has a different perfect way in which they celebrate the coming of the New Year while bidding adieu to the previous year.
Some of the most famous and popular ways to celebrate New Year around the world are –
Fireworks Extravaganza
Firework displays portray a sense of joy and celebration across the world. Hence, they have become synonymous with New Year Eve’s celebrations across the world.
From the iconic Harbor Bridge in Sydney to the Times Square in New York City, beautiful and breathtaking bursts of fireworks can be seen covering the city as soon as the clock strikes midnight.
Traditional Customs
Different countries have different traditional customs that they follow as the clock chimes midnight on New Year Celebration Eve and we enter the New Year.
Revelers in Spain eat a total of twelve grapes at midnight to attain good luck for all the twelve months of the coming year as each grape represents one month of the year.
According to the Buddhist tradition followed in Japan, as the clock strikes midnight, the temple bells are rung 108 times to cleanse people of the 108 sins.
Festive Parades
Many countries carry out festive parades to captivate audiences with their diverse culture and artistic expressions.
Such parades are famous in Rio De Janeiro by the name of The Carnival and in Pasadena, California by the name of the Rose Parade.
Conclusion
Every individual spends New Year differently, some plan a vacation to iconic places while some have a cozy get-together with their loved ones and then some indulge in the vibrant festivities in full vigour!
For everyone celebrating the New Year, it is important to understand its origin and significance around the world and we at Travellfy.com tried to do the same with this blog.
Finally, we wish you a very Happy New Year and hope that this New Year will bring you happiness and joy!
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