When it comes to New Year’s, different people have the most unique and interesting traditions. Some burn scarecrows, others throw bread, and others even fist fight. Either way, the New Year brings with it a sense of renewal, a new chance to live your best life, that’s all anyone really wants, no matter where they come from or how they usher in the New Year. Our Jet Charter Service has compiled a list of some of the most interesting New Year’s traditions. We hope you find them interesting as well.
We bet you never thought of this as a tradition but making resolutions is actually the most common New Year’s tradition in the world. As we mentioned, the New Year is the perfect time to turn a new leaf and better yourself in every aspect. Most people start the year with a goal to make better financial decisions, live healthier, get into better shape, stop a bad habit, start a business, improve their relationships, and so forth. What are your resolutions for this year?
The Burmese people celebrate the coming of the New Year with the Thingyan water festival, which is a cleansing ceremony. The funny thing is that the ceremony takes place in the middle of April and marks the arrival of Thigyamin, a Buddhist celestial figure, on Earth. The ceremony involves the firing of numerous water cannons, sprinklers in the street, and a bunch of soggy celebrations. The water is believed to wash away the sins and bad luck of the previous year and give everyone involved a clean slate.
This is another popular tradition. A lot of people around the world love to start their year with a new set of clothes. However, some traditions take it even further. For example, Japanese Buddhists dress up as the Zodiac animal of the New Year as they celebrate in their temples. The monks at the temple then ring a bell 108 times, one ring for each worldly sin.
People in Stone Haven, Scotland wield huge fireballs in the street to celebrate the coming of the New Year. These fireballs were traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits. Nowadays, due to safety issues, only trained professionals are allowed to swing the fireballs in a parade that takes place right before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. This tradition has been existent for more than a century and most people believe that it started prior to the rise of Christianity in Europe.
This is also a popular New Year’s tradition for most people around the world. This tradition, however, finds its roots in medieval Western civilizations. Kissing a spouse or someone special at midnight is believed to set the tone for the coming year and bring you good luck in your relationship throughout the New Year.
