[edit] France
New Year's Eve fireworks in Paris The French call New Year's Eve la Saint-Sylvestre. It is usually celebrated with a feast called le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre. This feast customarily includes special dishes like foie gras and drinks like champagne. The celebration can be a simple, intimate dinner with friends and family or a much fancier ball (une soirée dansante).
On le Jour de l'An (New Year's Day), friends and family exchange New Year's resolutions and sometimes gifts.
The holiday period ends on January 6 for the Epiphany. On this day, they traditionally enjoy a type of cake that varies depending on where you are in France, resembling king cake in the United States.
Australia
Sydney leads the world in one of the first major New Year celebrations each year.Each major city around Australia holds New Year’s Eve celebrations, usually accompanied by a fireworks display amongst other events. Gloucester Park, a racecourse in central Perth, is the largest and most recognised display in Perth. In Brisbane 50,000 people annually gather at sites around the Brisbane River in the city to watch a fireworks display while events are held in the city and at Southbank. The two largest New Year's Eve celebrations in Australia are held in its two largest cities, Melbourne and Sydney. In Sydney the celebrations are usually accompanied by a theme which is displayed in light shows and a large symbol in the middle of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Over 1.5 million people gathered around Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) for the 2007-08 celebrations, making it the largest yet. The firework display was launched from 7 barges on the water, 10 city buildings, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Bradfield Highway. The display stretched over 6 kilometres and lasted around 14–16 minutes, making it the largest New Year's Eve firework display on the planet. Melbourne's New Year's Eve waterworks are set on from the Yarra river and from city rooftops. There is an average attendance of around 300,000 people. There was a game of poker occurring in Melbourne's Crown Casino where the loser of each round received a pie in the face.
Mexico
Mexicans down a grape with each of the twelve chimes of the bell during the New Year countdown, while making a wish with each one. On New Year's Eve, those who want to find love in the new year wear red underwear and yellow if they want money.
Other traditions include sweeping the dirt out, taking luggage outside as a symbol of future trips, hanging sheep dolls (mainly made out of wool) in the doorknob for prosperity, among others.
They make dolls out of old clothes
Peru
Peru celebrates a unique tradition on the last day of the year. Elaborate effigies, called Años Viejos (Old Years) are created to represent people and events from the past year. Often these include political characters or leaders that the creator of the effigy may have disagreed with. The dummies are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes, with papier-mâché masks. Often they are also stuffed with fire crackers. At midnight the effigies are lit on fire to symbolize burning away of the past year and welcoming of the new year. The origin of the tradition is unknown, but is similar to that of the British Guy Fawkes Night. It is possible the tradition began after a yellow fever epidemic left many dead. The corpses were then disposed of by burning.
Other rituals are performed for the health, wealth, prosperity and protection of each member. These rituals are the following: Twelve grapes: Each person eats twelve grapes before midnight, making a wish with each grape.
Yellow underwear: One of the most popular traditions, yellow underwear are said to attract positive energies for the New Year.
Suitcase: Walking around the block with the suitcase will bring the person the journey of their dreams.
Information furnished by Wickipedia.com.
Happy New Year!!!!
From Around The World!!!
Cheers,
Danna
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