Did you know?
1. First New Year’s Celebrations go back 4,000 years when Julius Caesar declared 1st of January a National Holiday.
2. Eskimos celebrate New Year after the first snowfall, so there is no official date for this Holiday in their culture.
3. Cubans fill up with water as many dishes as possible, so New Year’s Eve they can throw it out on the streets as a symbol of washing away all the sins.
4. New Year’s Eve in Greece the Head of the family breaks a pomegranate throwing it at the wall of the house for prosperity and good luck.
5. Unusual Italian New Year’s tradition is to throw out old things out of the window, including clothes, dishes and even furniture. It’s believed that the more old things are thrown away, the more luck New Year will bring.
6. In Israel New Year is celebrated twice a year: in September as a local celebration and 1st of January European style.
7. Thailand celebrates New Year in April with water fights taking place all over the country.
8. Tibet’s New Year’s tradition is to bake pies and regale strangers. The more people eat the treats, the more prosperity New Year will bring.
9. First New Year post card was printed in London in 1843 starting a tradition of exchanging cards on this Holiday.
10. “Akimashite Omedetto Gozaimasu” – “Happy New Year” in Japanese!
11. Russian tradition of celebrating New Year on the 1st of January was set by Peter the Great in 1700.
12. Spanish tradition is to eat 12 grapes at midnight for happy 12 months to come.
13. Probably the most famous American tradition is the dropping of the New Year ball in Times Square, New York City one minute before midnight.
14. Swedish New Year’s tradition is to brake the dishes near the neighbors houses – lucky them!