What a holiday - New Year!

New Year is undoubtedly a universal holiday, because in one way or another every nation has it. True, not for everyone, it comes on January 1.

There are countries where New Year is considered a holiday of spring (by the way, it was once so in Russia). Somewhere New Year is celebrated at the end of the rainy season. Many Muslim countries live by their own calendars. In India, the New Year is generally celebrated at different times in different states.

But I will tell you about some of the traditions of those countries that still celebrate the New Year, like we do, on the night of December 31 to January 1.

Europe begins to prepare for the winter holidays already in November; Christmas markets are set up in the central squares of cities, where national goods, local delicacies and sweets, decorations, and figures for Christmas nativity scenes are sold.

Christmas is traditionally considered a family holiday, many of them try to come to their relatives and celebrate the holiday together these days.

Each European nation, of course, has its own traditions of celebrating the New Year. But all of them are nevertheless united by the fact that the New Year is the final holiday of the Christmas holidays. And therefore, probably, it does not have the same scope as in Russia. After all, when the holidays are just beginning for us, the Europeans have already had their fill, had fun, were on a visit and just want to calmly, though worthy, of course, to celebrate the New Year. However, fun is never superfluous, and it is not surprising that in all countries that celebrate the New Year in one way or another, they certainly will not do without fireworks, cheerful companies and warm congratulations.

Well, the main features of different countries are New Year's dishes and some local customs characteristic of specific countries, peoples and even different regions of one country.

Italy.

So, in Italy, stewed lentils are considered a traditional New Year's dish. It is prepared and eaten without fail - it is believed that it will bring good luck and money in the new year. Each region of the country, of course, has its own traditions. In the north, stuffed pork leg is served with lentils, and in the south, salami and salted ricotta. In addition, a dish with fruits and various nuts will be an important attribute on the table during Christmas and New Years. Many people call the most famous Italian New Year's tradition - throwing out old unnecessary things directly from the windows (they say, by the way, that in South Africa, on New Year's Eve, whole neighborhoods are closed for the same reason). But as far as I know, this is again not typical of all of Italy, but of its southern regions, as well as the most grandiose fireworks in the first minutes of the new year.

After they die off, many go out for a walk or visit friends - to congratulate and play board games.

France.

But in the French province, the New Year goes without loud firecrackers. Someone celebrates it in a restaurant, someone rents a chalet in the mountains, someone stays at home - in general, a quiet, calm holiday, because on January 2 everyone has to work.

From the traditional dishes of this time - the royal pie (galette de rois, gateau de rois). A cardboard crown is attached to it, and a bean or figurine is baked inside. The one in whose piece the figurine is, becomes the king.

The tradition is associated with the Day of the Magi (Epiphany), which is celebrated on January 6, but the French are treated to this cake during all winter holidays. Another good charitable tradition is the annual offer to buy a calendar from firefighters, with which they will certainly knock on every French door on New Year's.

Lithuania.

In Lithuania, as in all of Europe, Christmas is considered to be the most important in the series of winter holidays - a holiday that everyone tries to spend with their families. And on New Years, most, especially young people, go out. From the obligatory Christmas and New Year dishes - slizhiki - cookies in the form of small balls with poppy seeds, symbolizing a delicacy for the souls of the dead.

Germany.

Germany also takes to the streets after the traditional family Christmas on New Year's, people congratulate each other and wish a good "entry" into the New Year. A traditional New Year's dish in many German families is baked carp, whose large, shiny scales seem to hint at prosperity in the coming year.

True, modern housewives increasingly prefer less intricate dishes and snacks.

England.

In England, the custom of kissing under a branch of mistletoe is widespread.

And thanks to numerous Christmas movies, this tradition has spread far beyond the borders of foggy Albion. In general, they say that the ancient Romans used mistletoe as a “kissing” tree, so this tradition is much older than it might seem. But what exactly first appeared in England is New Year's cards and the tradition of exchanging them in honor of the holiday.

Denmark and Sweden.

In Denmark and Sweden, it will be a good sign on the morning after New Year's Eve to find a pile of shards of broken plates near the door, and the more, the better. So, breaking the plate on the front door, friends and neighbors wish the owners happiness and prosperity in the new year.

This tradition was adopted with pleasure from the Scandinavians ... Uzbeks. Together with another well-known tradition, the Spanish one - to eat one grape at each beat of the New Year's clock. If you manage to eat all 12, then the year will definitely be successful.

Well, the main decoration of the New Year's Uzbek table is a watermelon. If it turns out to be sweet and crunchy, then the whole year will be happy.

Here, of course, I must say that Uzbekistan, as a Muslim country, has its own traditional New Year, which is celebrated in spring. Which, incidentally, does not in the least prevent the Uzbeks, like many other Asian and Caucasian peoples, from having fun celebrating the European New Year.

Japan.

Another Asian country, Japan, has a long and rich New Year tradition. Like most other peoples, before the New Year it is supposed to clean properly, only the Japanese do it with special care and can devote the whole day to cleaning - after all, a clean house will attract more luck. It is also customary to send New Year's cards (nengajo) to everyone you know.

Unlike some other countries, for the Japanese, New Year is precisely a family holiday. The hostesses prepare traditional Osechi-ryori New Year's meals. And the house is decorated with special New Year's compositions. Each dish and each piece of decoration, as befits an eastern country with ancient traditions, has its own symbolic meaning. The Japanese New Year's bell counts not 12, but 108 times - according to the number of human vices. And it is believed that with each blow a person gets rid of one of them. In addition, in the first days of the new year, it is customary to visit temples where you can make a wish, purchase a new amulet instead of last year's and predict what awaits you in the new year. By the way, if the prediction is not very optimistic, it can be tied to a tree on the territory of the temple - then the bad will not come true. Now, of course, everything is changing, and the holiday is no longer as quiet and closed as it used to be, especially in Tokyo. But nevertheless, it remains primarily a family one, and the Japanese, living separately from their families, try to come home these days and celebrate the New Year with their relatives.

A little more about traditions that promise good luck in the new year.

In Argentina, they say, it is customary at New Year's midnight to raise your right leg and step into the new year with the "right foot." In Hungary, whistles and pipes are whistled. In Peru, they fight to cleanse grievances and negativity. In Bulgaria, while the clock strikes, they turn off the light and kiss each other, and on January 1 they congratulate everyone on the holiday, whipping them with a twig of dogwood. The Scots open the door - with the first of 12 bells to release the old year, and with the final one - to let in the new one. In addition, every Scottish home has a live fire and traditional oat cakes. And in Ireland, the doors of houses are opened in order to let out everything bad, and anyone who comes to the light will be warmly greeted and seated at the festive table. In Greece, the day of St. Basil the Great is celebrated on January 1, and it is believed that he brings gifts to Greek children. And adults bake a cake with a coin inside - the one who gets it will be happy in the new year.

As you understand, we can probably talk endlessly about the traditions of celebrating the New Year, large and small, old and very young. But the main thing that unites all peoples and countries is the unity of souls in fun and warm wishes to each other. Indeed, on such a magical night we all become a little kinder and opening, and even a stranger will seem a little dearer to us than on ordinary days.

And if you know some traditions that are not written here, it will be very interesting to read about it in the comments.

All good!

Julia Gapunik.