The first known celebration of a new year took place in Ancient Babylon nearly 4,000 years ago.
You’re supposed to eat 365 black-eyed peas to bring good luck to each day in the new year. But there are other types of lucky food. Many believe anything round is good. This represents the year coming full circle. Spanish people eat 12 grapes, one for each month.
It’s believed kissing someone at midnight will ward off loneliness in the coming year. The Ancient Romans are credited with starting this kissing tradition during Saturnalia.
Historically, New Year’s Eve was not December 31st. Ancient Romans celebrated New Year in March. Also, the Chinese New Year changes every year based on the cycle of the moon.
Since about 600 BC in Ancient Greece, people have been celebrating the first babies of the year. In fact, the first baby born back then was paraded around in a basket to celebrate Dionysus, the god of fertility.
Each New Year’s Eve, more than 360 million glasses of champagne or sparkling wine are enjoyed by celebrators.
The average blood alcohol content on New Year’s Eve is 0.095%. This means New Year is the drunkest night all year. Around 17% of emergency room visits are related to drug or alcohol use that night, more than on other holidays.
In Denmark, people throw plates at the front door of family and friends for good luck. They also stand on a chair and jump off as the clock strikes 12:00.
In France, you would eat an entire stack of pancakes.
Chileans opt to spend the evening in the cemetery to honor their deceased loved ones. Many even spend the night there!
Latin American countries focus on the color of their underwear. Yellow is supposed to bring abundance and money. Red should bring love. And white will bring peace.
The name January comes from the Roman god Janus, who was the god of beginnings, time, doorways, and endings.