Moira Lavelle
Magazine Editor

If one were to watch Dick Clark’s new years eve show (or a show much like it) the highlight of the program would most likely lie in the countdown to the New Year, and watching the glittering, lit up ball slowly lower towards Times Square. However, earlier in the evening as the host of the show directs the audiences attention from performers to commercials and back, clips are shown of various New Years celebrations all over the world that occurred earlier due to the time difference.  There are fireworks in China, or people cheering in England.  And while these celebrations display the same excitement found in a new year, there are many differences in how New Years are spent around the world.
Most countries have various traditions regarding what foods they eat to ensure good luck in the New Year.  Brazilians serve rice and lentils on New Year’s Eve because they symbolize wealth.  In Spain, Portugal, Cuba, and other Spanish speaking countries people eat twelve grapes at midnight to guarantee twelve prosperous months in the New Year.  Similarly, in Austria pork and carp are eaten on new years as they are considered to be good luck.  After a New Years Eve dinner, Austrians will then exchange Glücksbringers, which are chocolate and marzipan cookies shaped in the form of various lucky symbols such as pigs, gold coins, chimney sweeps, four-leaf clovers and horseshoes.  The Germans once considered it fortuitous to leave some part of all of the food eaten on New Year’s Eve on their plate until midnight when the New Year arrived in order to ensure plenty of food in the year ahead.
The New Year is seen as a fresh beginning, and many cultures have traditions to ensure that the fresh start is as auspicious as possible.  In Hungary a large man is made out of straw called “Jack Straw.”  Jack Straw represents all the evils of the past year.  On New Years he is ceremonially burned, symbolizing new beginning.  Similarly, In the Netherlands Christmas trees are burned in a bonfire to create a fresh start.  In Japan “forget-the-year parties” are held on New Years Eve.  The parties are a farewell to all the concerns and worries of the old year, and all previous disagreements are forgiven.  In Denmark people save their broken dishes to throw at people’s doors.  In following with this symbolism, Cubans open both the front and back door of their house when the clock strikes twelve.  The old year is let out through the back door, thus allowing the New Year to enter through the front door.
In Britain and many other European cultures, the tradition of first footing is very important.  It is believed that the first person to set foot in a house in a new year brings the luck (good or bad) that the household will have all year.  The most desired first footer is a young man with dark hair, who traditionally brings a gift of coal, bread, or money, symbolizing good luck. Though it isn’t openly discussed it is often set up so that a family will have a good first footer, and therefore a good year.
All around the world people tend to stay up late on December 31 to ring in the New Year, similar to America, it is traditional worldwide to have a party on New Years Eve.  In Belgium December 31 has more significance than merely being the last day of the year.  St. Sylvester was a Pope of the Roman Catholic Church for 21 years, and died December 31, 335.  In German speaking countries this day of his death was considered so important it is now called Silvester, or St. Sylvester’s day.  Farther north, in Slavic cultures, a figure named Father Frost, or Grandfather Frost (called Ded Moroz in Russian) comes and gives children gifts.  Although Ded Moroz is very similar to the western version of Santa Claus, he usually gives children their presents in person as opposed to placing them beneath a tree.
Though the cultures differ so greatly in their traditions, there are still many aspects that are the same.  Most cultures spend New Year’s with family and friends at a party or gathering. Some watch a ball drop, or listen to bells toll from Big Ben or the clock tower in Copenhagen. Despite differences in traditions and beliefs every culture has some way of celebrating the advent of the New Year. As one watches on TV the various celebrations as they occur throughout the world, it is easy to see that this is one event that everyone is able to enjoy.