As the clock nears midnight on Dec. 31, the world gathers to ring in the New Year. Jan. 1 is a fresh start, a chance to leave the past in the past and focus on the future. Resolutions are set, grapes are eaten, and confetti is popped. Though these rituals seem fitting for the occasion, other countries around the world have differing traditions, with some dating back to the very first New Years.
The earliest known record of a New Year festival dates back to 2000 BCE in Mesopotamia, where the Babylonians began the new year with the new moon following the vernal equinox, the day in late March with an equal amount of sunlight and darkness. The Babylonians celebrated with a religious festival called Atiku, which also marked the mythical victory of the Babylonian sky god Marduk over Tiamat, the evil sea goddess.
The Gregorian calendar, which is used by most of the world to mark the New Year today, evolved from Julius Caesar’s Julian calendar, where leap years took place every four years. The Gregorian calendar modified this so centurial years would only be leap years if they were divisible by 400. This made the average length of the Gregorian year more accurate to the length of the true solar year.
Currently, people around the world celebrate the New Year with all sorts of customs. Many traditions revolve around bringing luck in and chasing away evil spirits. Food plays an important role in many cultural traditions as well. In Brazil and Greece, they turn to pomegranates, with the former putting seven seeds into purses or pockets, and the latter smashing them against the wall, hoping for them to scatter far and wide, signifying luck and prosperity.
For many, eating is another way to bring in prosperity. In Japan, they end the year with toshikoshi soba, which are long buckwheat noodles that symbolize endurance and a long life. The Dutch eat oliebollen, fried dough balls. Their folklore says that eating the balls will offer protection from the goddess Perchta, who punishes those who fail to feast during the Yule festival.
But the New Year is also a time to remember the ones who aren’t there to celebrate. In Chile, families light candles and hold masses in cemeteries, allowing deceased relatives to celebrate the New Year with them together.
Others see New Year as a time to think about their wishes for the future. In Russia, a tradition on New Year’s Eve is to write down a wish on a piece of paper, burn it, mix it into a glass of champagne and drink it before the first minute of the New Year is over. It is believed if you do so, your wish will come true.
Even family to family, there are different traditions.
Senior Lena Roh describes her family’s tradition.
“We would wear traditional Korean clothing and bow down twice to the elderly to receive money,” Roh said.
From soba eating to pomegranate smashing to champagne wishes, different countries each have unique celebrations for New Years. But through each tradition shines an intent to enter the new year with prosperity, protection, and good luck.
