NEW YEAR’S TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
PHILIPPINES In the Philippines, people use
2023 has arrived, so it's time to plan for the year ahead and set some resolutions. On Dec. 31, as the clock struck midnight, you likely celebrated the New Year with fireworks, parties, noise makers, the ball drop, music, celebration hats, and confetti. But around the world, not everyone celebrates the same way. Check out some of these traditions others use to ring in the new year! COLOMBIA Who doesn’t love to travel? In Colombia, many carry an empty suitcase or two around the neighborhood, hoping to bless the coming year with many chances to travel. SPAIN In Spain, you may catch some natives eating exactly 12 grapes, one for each clock strike once midnight arrives. Each one represents good luck for each month in the new year. In larger cities such as Barcelona and Madrid, they gather to eat
grapes together in the main squares.
round shapes to represent coins that symbolize prosperity in the new year. Some even display round fruit, such as grapes, on their dining room table and, like people in Spain, will eat 12 at midnight.
BRAZIL, ECUADOR, VENEZUELA, AND BOLIVIA In these Central and South American countries, the new year is celebrated with lucky underwear! The most
DENMARK To get rid of evil spirits, the people of Denmark will throw old plates and glasses against their friends’ and families’ front doors. Then to “leap” into the new year with good luck, they stand on chairs and jump off! URUGUAY In Uruguay on New Year’s Eve, the people throw out calendar pages of the old year out the window and on Jan. 1, the streets are filled with individual calendar pages of days of the previous year.
common colors are red, intended to welcome love in the upcoming year, and yellow, which is said to bring about prosperity.
GREECE If you were to visit Greece on New Year’s Eve, you might see onions — thought to symbolize rebirth — hanging on the front doors of every home. On New Year’s Day, parents wake their children by gently tapping them on the head with the onions.
What New Year’s traditions do you have?
HERE COMES THE SUN
3 Benefits of Soaking Up Vitamin D in the Winter
IT BOOSTS YOUR MOOD. Sunlight triggers your brain to release a hormone known as serotonin, or the “feel good” hormone. When your serotonin levels get low, you are at a greater risk of experiencing depression or SAD. Soaking up the rays can literally lift your spirits.
The holidays are wrapped up, the decorations have come down, and we’ve welcomed the new year — yet winter temperatures and snow are here to stay for a few more months at least. While the colder months can be enjoyable for some, many can begin to feel the effects of the lack of sunlight and may even become depressed. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression brought on by the changing seasons, is most prevalent in the fall and winter when it is cold, dark, and dreary outdoors. During this time of year, it’s paramount that you get plenty of sun exposure and vitamin D for your physical and mental health — here are some of the many benefits this can bring. IT BOOSTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. At one point or another, you’ve been told to bundle up or you’ll catch a cold. While this seems like an old wives’ tale, it does have some truth behind it. Chilly weather makes your body prone to catching a variety of sicknesses. To boost your immune system, getting vitamin D (from both the sun and vitamins) is essential. Did you know that the sun provides us with 90% of our vitamin D? Aim to get at least 10–15 minutes of sun to exposed skin each day. But it doesn’t count in areas where you have sunscreen on.
IT IMPROVES YOUR SLEEP. Lack of sunlight decreases melatonin production, the
hormone that tells your body it’s time for sleep. According to a Health US News report, getting just 15 minutes of sunlight in the morning helps your body recognize when it’s dark outside later in the day, which then tells your body to produce melatonin. This time of year, if you’re feeling the winter blues, the best thing you can do is get outdoors and soak up the sunlight. Just be sure to do so in safe amounts. And because we live in Chicago where the sun seems to hide, supplementing with Vitamin D is crucial for everyone. And the benefits of having optimal Vitamin D levels are enormous.
2 | WrigleyvilleDental.com
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator