New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
When is New Year's Eve? This holiday is observed on the evening of December 31
New Year’s Eve is when all the fun and festivities are. There are many New Year’s Traditions to participate in, including the champagne toast at the stroke of midnight. We see out the old year and ring in the new. While it is often thought of as a time to drink and be merry, many people take it as an opportunity to eat and be merry. Drinking is not as much a part of the event as it was decades ago, if only because of tougher drunk driving laws. New Year’s Day, on the other hand, is a time to relax and enjoy the start of a bright and promising new year. It’s a new beginning. It is a time to be with family. After all, you haven’t seen your mother-in-law since last year.
So, enjoy everything about New Year’s….it only comes once a year.
To many Americans, the ball dropping at Times Square in New York City signals the start of the new year in this country. The ball was first dropped in 1908.
New Year’s Trivia: Did you know that a raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top?
Did you make a New Year’s resolution? Millions of people do. It’s easy to make resolutions, yet much harder to accomplish them. As you get well into January, those unaccomplished New Year’s resolutions hang over your head. Lucky for you, there is a Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions Day in January.
An Uplifting New Year Quote: Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering “it will be happier”. – – Alfred Lord Tennyson
New Year's Eve Traditions
Everyone has their New Years traditions. They center around the hope and anticipation for a healthy and prosperous year ahead. Here are a few of them:
- The traditional toast with champagne as the ball drops in New York’s Times Square is perhaps the biggest tradition of all. The toast speaks of hope for a good year ahead.
- Open the windows of your house at midnight. This lets out the old year and allows the new year to enter with all of the good things it will bring.
- Looking for good luck for your family in the year ahead? Stand on a chair with a herring and jump off as you swallow the fish.
- It’s an Irish tradition to smash the unwanted, leftover fruitcake against your front door. It brings both luck and avoids hunger in the coming year.
- In Spanish-speaking countries, 12 grapes are eaten at midnight. Each grape represents a month in the new year. As you eat each grape, think about the luck you will have during that month.
Does your family have a New Year’s Tradition? Let us know!
How to Celebrate New Year's Eve and New Year Day
There are many New Year traditions. Of course, you can always start a new tradition.
Here are some common traditions:
- Eat, drink, and be merry!
- Join a New Year’s Eve party.
- Go out to eat at a nice restaurant.
- Watch the local fireworks in your area.
- Make lots of fancy hors d’oevres.
- Turn on the television and watch the ball drop at New York City’s Times Square.
- Have a Champagne toast to the new year.
- Importantly, if you drink, don’t drive. Have a designated driver. Call Uber or Lyft. Or, get a hotel.
- Make a New Year resolution.
- Jump off a chair at midnight to leap into the New Year. This tradition originated in Denmark. Some people do this while holding a sardine. We know not why!
Today's Quote
“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says to love your enemy.” – – Frank Sinatra
History and Origin of New Year's Eve
We believe man (and woman) have been celebrating the new year since men first began to keep track of time and the seasons. Although, different cultures celebrate at different times of the year. We have developed many New Year’s traditions to say goodbye to the the old year and ring in the new one.
This Day in History
Here are some things that happened on New Year’s Eve:
- Shopkeepers in England brick up their windows to avoid a Window tax. (1695)
- Charles Darrow patents the board game “Monopoly”. It was on the market the month before. See Play Monopoly Day. (1935)
- Singer Donna Summer was born on this day in (1948)
- See more December historical events.
Here are some things that happened on New Year Day:
- The Julian calendar is first used. (45 B.C.)
- The first Rose Bowl Parade was held. The first Rose Bowl football game was played in 1902, to help pay for the cost of the parade. (1890)
- Revolutionary War hero Paul Revere was born on this day in (1735)
Related Holidays
People who like this holiday will also like:
National Hangover Day – You should be able to guess when this day arrives.
More About Today
Flower of the Day: Baby’s Breath
Recipe of the Day: Pepperoni Bread recipe – a New Year’s party favorite.
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Did You Know? There are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. Many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. Consequently, at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.