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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
What Makes Minnesota School of Music Better
How to Elevate Your Family’s Movie Nights
Meet Vihaan, Guitar Student, and Knock-Knock Joke Master
Essential Tips for Non-Musical Parents
Unique New Year’s Traditions Around The World
BEYOND THE BALL DROP HOW DIFFERENT CULTURES CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR
The New Year is a time for celebration, reflection, and new beginnings. While many of us are familiar with the ball drop in Times Square or the clinking of champagne glasses at midnight, exploring how different countries and cultures ring in the New Year is fascinating. Let’s journey outside the United States to discover a few unique New Year’s traditions from around the world. SPAIN: EATING 12 GRAPES AT MIDNIGHT As the clock strikes midnight in Spain, people eat 12 grapes — one for each clock chime. This tradition brings good luck and prosperity for the coming year. The grapes are usually eaten in public squares and plazas where crowds gather to celebrate. It’s a race against time to eat all 12 grapes before the last chime, as failing can bring in bad luck. JAPAN: JOYA-NO-KANE (BELL RINGING) The Japanese celebrate Joya-no-Kane, where temple bells ring 108 times: 107
times on Dec. 31, and then the 108th ring at midnight on the New Year, bridging the old and new year. This practice is rooted in Buddhist beliefs and is thought to cleanse the 108 worldly desires that cause human suffering. DENMARK: BREAKING PLATES The Danish have a unique way of showing affection to their friends and family. On
New Year’s Eve, it’s customary to break plates and dishes against the doors of loved ones. The more broken pieces you find at your doorstep, the more popular and loved you are. BRAZIL: OFFERINGS TO IEMANJÁ In Brazil, particularly in coastal cities like Rio de Janeiro, people make offerings to Iemanjá, the goddess of the sea, on New Year’s Eve. They gather at the beach dressed in white and send small boats filled with flowers, candles, and gifts into the ocean as offerings. SCOTLAND: FIRST-FOOTING In Scotland, the first person to enter a home after midnight is called the “first- footer” and will bring good luck for the year. Traditionally, the first-footer should be a tall, dark-haired male who brings gifts like coal, bread, and whisky to symbolize warmth, luck, and good cheer.
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