Traditions / Superstitions from Around the World!: To Bring in the New Year!

By Ava Laboy Capo

You can call it superstition, faith, and/or hopeful or wishful thinking. However, it may be best to have done something than to have done nothing at all.
Most New Years superstitions, traditions, and customs come from the strong belief that whatever is done on the first day of the year will set the pattern for the coming year. Other superstitions are to send off evil spirits, invite good luck and good fortune, and invite lady luck into your home. Traditions may involve religious celebrations, costume parties, parades, processions said to bring good luck and good fortune in the New Year.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491839508

Ava Laboy Capo

Ava Laboy Capo, an inspired writer with a passion and real connection to the book you are about to read. For the multicultural, bringing the cultures together, is a way to celebrate diversity.

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Albania

Gëzuar Vitin e Ri

New Year in Albania is celebrated in its own way. Albania celebrates both the English and the traditional New Year. The New Year is celebrated as usual on the 1st of January throughout Albania.

Celebration and feasting is an important part of the New Year eve. New Year eve parties are very popular. Tourism is at its best during this time of the year. The major cities are decorated with lights and celebrations are held in every household. The traditional New Year in Albania is celebrated with a great deal of enthusiasm throughout the country.

The English New Year is welcomed with various celebrations such as the shooting of guns, fireworks and other vibrant events. Dance bars and the clubs of the country arrange for special New Year’s party to greet the coming year. Albania dance the night away with great tunes and enjoy into the early morning.

The traditional New Year in Albania is celebrated with a great bang and show. Traditional rituals of the Albania are performed during this time. The traditional New Year which is celebrated by the Persian communities of Albania is called the Norouz.

The Norouz is a celebration of the people who follow Zoroastrian religion. All Albanians will purchase new clothes and flowers during the Norouz, the celebrations of Norouz go on for twelve days. The rituals include the breaking of earthen jars and spoon beating are followed during the celebrations.

The New Year in Albania is celebrated by both the locals and the visitors. Travelers are delighted to see the beautiful rituals performed at every household of Albania during their traditional New Year. Music is a very important part of Albania New Year. People sing and dance to welcome the coming year with a great zest for life.

Algeria

Asgwas Amegas

Or

سعيد (Aam Saiid) / Sana Saiida

Welcoming the New Year is highly celebrated through the practice of traditions, known as Yennayer. They celebrate the New Year in hopes of bringing prosperity, good health, and affluence. Following the superstitions comes with the customary practices.

Green plants, olives, palms, and carob tree branches are picked, in addition fennel and rosemary, and hung on the terraces of homes as a way of asking for agricultural success and good harvest. A celebrating dinner of wheat based, rice-like food similar to couscous is mixed in with seven kinds of vegetables is the traditional dinner.

A date stone is placed in the serving bowl, whoever gets the serving with the stone is granted good fortune for the year to come. Once the dinner is over, the owner of the home goes outside to his flock of sheep, and calls to them. If he is able to summon them, or get a vocal response, it will be a great year. If not, he calls to his cattle. If the cattle responds, it will simple be a good year. If no response is heard, he calls the goats, and if a responds is elicited from the goats, then it will just be a mediocre year. If no noise is heard, the year will be filled with misfortune.

Argentina

Feliz Año Nuevo

New Year’s Eve is eagerly waited for the clock to turn twelve with a late dinner with family and fireworks at midnight with close friends and family members in attendance. Argentina is considered to be a land where people prefer to strictly abide by the customs and traditions of their country, and more precisely the beliefs of Roman Catholic.

They come out of their houses to be a part of the street parties. Special grand parties are celebrated in clubs, hotels, and many other party places. The proper arrangements are made for drinking, eating, dancing, music, and celebrations. Friends and family member’s party throughout the New Year’s Eve.

Some of the interesting Argentina traditions included on New Year’s Eve celebration;

black.jpg    Running around the house carrying a suitcase, this represents you will travel more in the coming year.

black.jpg    Another Argentina tradition is if you eat beans on New Year’s you will either keep the job you have or will open up gates for new and better job in the coming year.

New Year’s Day is celebrated January 1st there is another popular tradition of going for swimming in private and public pools, rivers, and lakes. This tradition is considered to be very close to the heart of the natives of Argentina. Argentinians hold a long ancient history of passing on the traditions and customs from one generation to another.

Argentina observes and celebrates New Year on the day of January 1 of the Georgian calendar. Turron and pan dulce are served as the customary dishes on New Year are also a part of customs and traditions in Argentina.

As soon as clock turns twelve, people sing, dance, and celebrate. Bursting crackers is part of celebrations of New Year in Argentina, small children and people of young age ensure that the grandest and most appealing of fireworks show occur in their part as soon as the moment of New Year arrives. Fireworks usually go on until the dawn of the first day of the New Year, with dancing, singing, drinking, eating and celebrating the entire night.

The majority of the population of Argentina is Roman Catholic. On the first dawn of the New Year, it is preferred to go to Churches and Cathedrals to offer prayers to God for peace, happiness, and prosperity for the New Year. The afternoon time is usually reserved for picnics, swimming, or family gatherings. Although, it is not a tradition, the elderly people out of their generosity and love provide the young kids of the family with gifts and goodies.

Armenia

Snorhavor Nor Tari

Armenians cook a special bread for their family. The bread is kneaded with luck and good wishes pressed into dough before it is cooked.

Superstitions:

black.jpg    No whistling particularly at night or evil spirits will come.

black.jpg    No cutting your nails especially at night. This will shorten life span.

black.jpg    Never hand someone a knife directly—always set it down for them to pick up or it can cause turmoil and fights between you and that person.

black.jpg    Never step over anyone or that person will remain short.

black.jpg    Never eat food out of the pot or it will rain on your wedding day.

There is great belief in the evil eye. The evil eye is a very sharp glance or a negative thought presumed to have the ability to harm those on whom it falls. Items are provided to warn off the evil eye such as evil eye pin, necklaces or bracelets. The evil eye is believed to be in seven year term and even people who love and adore you could accidentally cast the evil eye on excessive love, admiration and devotion can provoke it at any time.

Zealous admiration, envy or even malicious jealousy, can also trigger the evil eye. There are numerous practices used to counteract the risk of accidentally eliciting the eye.

Whenever a praise or compliment given by someone, the term Mashallah to invoke God’s blessing and ward off the evil eye is to be said.

The glass is reflective it is like a magnetic mirror that draws positive energy and pushes away negative energy or evil intentions. If the negative energy is too strong for the glass, it will break and sacrifices itself to protect the bearer.

Australia

Happy New Year (mate)

Australia engages itself in enthusiastic celebration of New Year, with customs and traditions holding the core of it. The rule of Georgian calendar is followed. January 1st is observed as the date and celebration of New Year. New Year celebrations are traditionally made over an extended period of six days, January 6 being the last day of the celebration.

New Year is a public holiday, people with their friends and families come out of their homes to be a part of the group celebrations as made at beautiful beaches, pubs, clubs, hotels, and social parties organized for the purpose to celebrate. The highly intense and passionate New Year celebrations in Australia are world popular.

It is preferred to make a visit to the Church to offer their prayers, and make an early morning visit to the local or main Church asking for blessings for the New Year. The traditional customs of formally announcing the arrival of New Year is officially considered to take place with the twelve rings of the bell in the Church on the midnight of the New Year.

As soon as people hear the twelve rings, they show their excitement by cheering and making noises with drums, horns, trumpets, and other musical instruments. Hugs, kisses, and wishes with all those who are present follows. A beautifully crafted show of fireworks, take place at exactly the 00:00 hours of January 1, is something everyone enthusiastically and eagerly wait for.

Austria

A guads Neichs Johr olle mitanand!

Austria has a glamorous of New Year celebrations. The Imperial Ball, a tradition of the Hapsburg dynasty that has continued for hundreds of years, the attire wore is white gowns and black jackets. At midnight, The Blue Danube is an important part of the celebration. The Strauss operetta, "Die Fledermaus, is always performed each New Year’s Day. The dining experience includes pig it is considered good luck. The tables are usually decorated with candy pigs. Lead pouring is an old tradition which involves pouring molten lead into a bowl of water. Whatever shape that the lead forms will predict the outcome of the next year. A soothsayer reads the shape of the lead.

black.jpg    If your lead forms a ball, it means over all luck for the next year. If your lead forms an anchor, you’re going to need help at some point.

black.jpg    If your lead forms into a cross, it means imminent death.

black.jpg    If your leads resembles a woman it is considered bad luck

Austrians choose pork or ham for their New Year’s meal. The tradition brought in with them when they settled in different regions. The suckling pig is the symbol for good luck for the New Year. It’s served on a table decorated with small edible pigs. Dessert often consists of green peppermint ice cream in the shape of a four-leaf clover.

Bangladesh

শুভ নববর্ষ (Shubho Nôbobôrsho)

Or

Poyela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ Pôhela Boishakh

Festivities in Bangladesh revolve around the Bengali Year, A most important of them being the Bengali New Year celebrations. The festivities begin with people gathering under a big tree or on the bank of a lake to witness the beautiful sunrise. Artists performs songs to usher in the new year, usually with Rabindranath Tagore’s well known song এসো, হে বৈশাখ, এসো এসো Esho, he Boishakh (Come, O Boishakh, Come, Come).

The Bengali Calendar is based on ancient sub-continental calendars which was codified and standardized by the Mughal Emperor Akbar from approximately 6 centuries ago. The start date of the Begali calendar is made to coincide with the start date of the Islamic calendar. The calendar is a solar one it is composed of six seasons that revolve around the region’s agricultural cycle.

To the Bengalis, the New Year is a new opening, a new anticipation, a new beginning filled with delight, wealth and happiness. The day is celebrated with much excitement and enthusiasm. The Bengali New Year begins at dawn, and the day is marked with processions, singing, and fairs.

Even local business incorporate tradition of the New Year and new beginning to their way of doing business, businesses start this day with a new start, clearing out the old.

Fairs and festivals are held all over the country, singers sing traditional songs welcoming the New Year. Food vendors sell traditional cultural foods and artisans sell traditional handcrafted items. There will be entertainment such as the staging of traditional jatra plays including folk singing and traditional puppet plays.

It is also a tradition to thoroughly clean your home and people will be dressed in all their finery. Visiting relatives, friends and neighbors and special foods are prepared to entertain guests is customary.

In Dhaka; People from all walks of life wear their traditional Bengali attire. Women will dressed in traditional saris with their hair all bedecked in flowers. Men will wear traditional Panjabis. A huge part of the festivities include Dhaka it is a colorful procession organized by the students and teachers of Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.

Belgium

Sint Sylvester Vooranvond

Or

Saint Sylvester Eve

In Belgium, preparation for New Year celebrations begins a few days before. The most common and popular way to celebrate the arrival of New Year in Belgium is by organizing family parties. These family parties