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New Year's, Muharram is the second most holy month of the Islamic year…
New Year's
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Every year, about two million people gather in New York City’s Times Square to watch the famous “ball drop.” This tradition began in 1907 with a 700-pound ball that was slowly lowered down a pole until it reached the ground at midnight. Today, ball is 11,875 pounds and covered in sparkling Waterford crystals. For all of those unable to witness this annual tradition in person, the ball drop is broadcasted both nationally and internationally, with about one billion people worldwide crowding around their TV screens to count down the seconds until the ball reaches the ground in time to usher in the new year!
The Islamic New Year begins with the sighting of the new moon at sunset. Its arrival signals the beginning of the month of Muharram – one of the four holy months of the Islamic calendar.
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Muharram is the second most holy month of the Islamic year, after Ramadan, its name meaning “forbidden”, many followers of the faith choosing to fast on its ninth and tenth days.
The New Year also honours the emigration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, which was known as the Hijrah and gives the first day of the year its name.
The earliest recorded festivities in honor of a new year’s arrival date back some 4,000 years to ancient Babylon.
American culture
After counting down the seconds to midnight, many share a special New Year’s Eve kiss! The tradition stems from the belief that kissing someone at midnight will prevent loneliness during the coming year and ward off evil spirits!
New Year's Day provides us the chance to celebrate having made it through another 365 days, the unit of time by which we keep chronological score of our lives.
Major Australian cities have special New Year’s Eve events that include parades, music and entertainment. Celebrities are often invited as guests of honor or hosts for large New Year’s Eve events. New Year’s Eve balls are popular and have various themes such as masquerade, black-tie and formal wear, tropical, or gangster and glamour. Prizes for most intriguing or best-dressed outfits are awarded at these events. Many people also prepare their New Year’s resolutions for the next day.
Fireworks symbolize the crossover from New Year’s Eve, which marks the end of the old year, to New Year’s Day, which marks the beginning of the New Year. The largest and most elaborate fireworks occur at midnight between these two days as a way of saying good bye to the past and welcoming the future.
And since most of these countries follow the lunar or solar calendar, their festivities take place in February, March, or April, instead of on January 1st. Some cultures usher in the New Year with water gun fights, while others chase off evil spirits with demonic effigies.
It symbolizes good fortune and joy. People will often decorate their homes with posters displaying poetic sayings or wishes of luck welcoming the new year.
From smashing pomegranates to donning red underwear, poultry avoidance to Bulgarian whipping boys,New Year's Eve is celebrated in their home countries.
Each grape represents good luck for one month of the coming year. In bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, people gather in main squares to eat their grapes together and pass around bottles of cava.
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New Year’s Eve is celebrated with a meal in the company of friends and family. In some places, this means eating specific “lucky” foods. In Spain and Portugal, for example, it’s twelve grapes or raisins, and in Italy, twelve spoonfuls of lentils—one with each of the twelve chimes of the clock at midnight.
Many Australians annually celebrate New Year’s Eve with parties, music and other forms of entertainment on December 31. New Year’s Eve is the day before New Year’s Day in the Gregorian calendar, which is used by many Australians.
New Year’s isn’t always fireworks and kisses. In Asia, it’s a time to ward off bad luck, celebrate good fortune, and commemorate family.
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