The New Year’s Eve: traditions and time zone
2016 is near to begin. First or later all the people in the world will celebrate it with friend, in mountain or at the seaside, eating some bringing good luck food or light fireworks.
Who will be the first to see the celebrate the new year?
If we consider the Greenwich Time Zone, the first people will be the inhabitants of Kiribati Island in Oceania, which is placed on the international imaginary line created in 1884 and which set the change of date. Then there will be New Zealand and Australia. The next will be Vietnam, followed by Iran and Russia. Finally the new year will arrive in Europe and then in USA.
And how people celebrate it all around the world?
There are several different traditions in all the countries.
In Europe we can find Spain, where people usually eat 12 grapes at every ring of the bell in order to wish wealth in the new year. In Germany, people are masked and they drink a beverage made up with cinnamon, orange, rum and cloves. In England, indeed there is a New Year’s dinner with turkey and pudding and there are also different plays to wish good luck.
In Brazil people wear something yellow, which is the colour of light and gold and in order to fight against the bad luck, they throw the glasses of wine out of the window.
In Russia there are 2 New Year’s Eve: on 31st December according to the Gregorian Calendar and on 13rd January according to the Julian Calendar.
In China people celebrate a period of time which goes from 21st January to 19 February, according to the Lunar Calendar. The celebrations finish after 15 days and the most important moment of them is represented by Lanterns Festival. People wear red dresses because the red is propitiatory and it is able to fight against the mythological monster Nian, who came every twelve months to eat human beings.
And in Italy?
In Italy people celebrate it on 31st December by eating lentils, which, according to the traditions, are able to bring money to those who eat them. It is important to wear something red and new, to light up candles all night long and kiss someone who you love under the butcher’s broom.
Officina delle Lingue wishes you a Best 2016!
