Western Culture: What are the traditional customs of the Western New Year?

What are the traditional customs of the Western New Year? The New Year customs of Western countries are not the same. Next, Modern Children’s English in Hong Kong will share with you about the Western New Year customs. It can help you learn English and get deeper into Western culture.New Year customs in different countries:Turkey On New Year’s Eve, people of all ages, men and women, take a bath and put on new clothes, which means to rid the old and welcome the new. In some parts of Turkey, it is also the custom to spend the rest of the year sleeping over. On New Year’s Eve, people and their families go to the homes of pre-arranged relatives and friends to start the year.

Spain Spanish people on New Year’s Eve the whole family will get together to have fun, and when the New Year’s bell rings, everyone will compete to eat twelve grapes, meaning the New Year twelve months are smooth. And whatever the children ask on New Year’s Day, the parents will give it, because they don’t think it is good to cry or beat the children on this day.

Switzerland The Swiss welcome the New Year by getting fit. Some of them go mountain climbing in groups. Some ski along long pistes; Some hold stilt walking competitions, where men and women, old and young, join hands and wish each other good health.

Belgium In rural Belgium, it is customary to pay New Year’s greetings to livestock on the morning of New Year’s Day. People go to cows, horses, sheep, dogs, cats and other animals to congratulate them: “Happy New Year”!

United States On New Year’s Eve in the United States, people go out and have a bonfire. At midnight, everyone threw the old things into the fire to burn, and dance around the fire, carnival until dawn. That night, all over the church are held solemn services. People gather in churches, streets and squares to sing, to pray, to bless, to repent, and to welcome together the moment of renewal. At exactly 12 o ‘clock midnight, church bells tolled all over the country. The band belted out the famous nostalgic song “Bon Voyage”. Music plays, excited people embrace, and even strangers kiss each other. People in this way with the sadness of farewell and the yearning for a new life together to usher in the New Year.

British The British do not usually welcome the New Year by holding a celebration of the way. They have a special way of celebrating the New Year. No one invites anyone. However, there is a common rule, that is, on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Eve, everyone can go to any house without anyone’s invitation to congratulate the festival, even if you do not know the people’s home can go, the host is always happy, warm reception. But it is customary for a guest to take even a small piece of coal with him, and throw it into the host’s fire, and wish the fire to burn ever brighter in the New Year.

Belgium In Belgium, on the morning of New Year’s Day, the first thing in the countryside is to pay New Year’s greetings to livestock. People go to cows, horses, sheep, dogs, cats and other animals and say to these creatures: “Happy New Year”!

Italy On New Year’s Eve in Italy, people set off fireworks and firecrackers and smash anything that can be broken to make a noise, in the belief that this will lead to a happy New Year. Italians also believe that “fire from the sun, New Year’s day off the fire, the next year will not see the sun,” so that day they will burn a fire at home, all day long.

France  When the French celebrate the New Year, the whole family gathers around the house to drink wine to welcome the coming of the New Year. Whoever can finish the wine in the bottle will have the best luck this year. In France, the weather forecast on New Year’s Day is of the utmost concern because the direction of the wind indicates whether the year will be good or not.

Mexico In some parts of Mexico, people are forbidden to laugh at New Year’s Day. They are not allowed to laugh for the last five days of the year.Finland Finnish girls always throw their shoes upward on New Year’s Eve. If the shoes fall with the toes facing the door, it indicates that they must get married this year!