Veruje se da je prva proslava Nove godine bila u Mesopotamiji, čak 2.000 godina p.n.e. Slavilo se sredinom marta. Rimljani su novo leto takođe čekali u martu, a Grci u vreme zimskog solsticija
The earliest recorded New Year celebration is believed to have been held in Mesopotamia, c. 2000 B.C., and was celebrated in mid-March. Romans also celebrated in March, while for the Greeks it marked the winter solstice
Ireland The Irish have a tradition of banging bread
UNUSUAL TRADITIONS OF THE WORLD The countdown can begin Some eat round fruit, while some skip over waves. There are those who pound bread against walls, and even those who sleep with potatoes. There is a mass of unusual traditions that all have the same goal – ensuring a happy New Year
against the walls of their house on New Year’s Eve. The idea is that bad luck and evil spirits are thus chased away, while good luck is invited in. It’s also done to ensure that the coming year is filled with an abundance of bread and other food. Brazil Particular foods are eaten in Brazil to ensure good luck is attracted for the coming year. Sev- en is the lucky number on New Year’s Eve, so seven pomegranate seeds are eaten to keep the purse full and seven grapes are munched to ensure abundance in all areas of life. Some Brazilians also jump over seven waves in the ocean and make seven wishes for the new year as they leap. Spain In Spain, with 12 seconds remaining until the New Year, people eat 12 green grapes to bring them good luck in the year ahead. It’s thought to be bad luck if you can’t eat them all by the final chime of midnight. But gobble them down in time and 12 months of good fortune will surely come your way. Germany Berlin is home to one of the largest New Year’s Eve celebrations in Europe, with millions of people coming (unfortunately not this year). Still, at home, families melt lead by holding a flame under a table- spoon. They pour the liquid metal into a bucket of water and the pattern is said to predict the coming year. A heart/ring shape means an upcoming wed- ding, a ball means luck will roll your way, and a pig shape means that you’ll have plenty to eat.
M any cultures celebrate this annu- al event in some manner. Com- mon traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, making resolutions for the year ahead and watching fireworks displays. How- ever, there are some interesting traditions that are meant to guarantee good luck in the year to come Colombia On the last night of the year, Colombians place three potatoes—one peeled, one unpeeled, and one half peeled—under their bed. They then extract the first potato they grab at midnight. Peeled means they’ll have financial problems, unpeeled indicates abundance, and half peeled…well, somewhere in be- tween. The Philippines Filipino culture celebrates the New Year by serv- ing twelve round fruits. The round produce symbol- ise coins—representing prosperity and wealth for each month of the upcoming year. Apples, melons, oranges and grapes are popular picks, but any round fruit will do.
Provodimo čitav dan odbrojavajuć i sate do 23 h, kada počinjemo da brojimo minute, da bismo u 23.59 naglas počeli da odbrojavamo sekunde / We spend the entire day counting down the hours until 11 p.m., when we start counting the minutes, which we do until 11:59 p.m., when we start counting the seconds
New Year‘s Eve » Nova godina | 79
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