Happy New Year! by Gail Skroback Hennessey Bonne annee(French) Frohes neues Jahr(Germany) Felice anno nuovo(Italian) Gott nytt ar(Swedish) Feliz ano nuevo(Spanish) Shana tova(Hebrew) Hauoli makahiki hou(Hawaiian) Gelukkig nieuwjaar(Dutch) Did you know that there are 24 different time zones? That means people around the world celebrate New Year’s Eve at different times. When the fire- works are going off in Australia, it’s still morning in New York! There are lots of different customs done by people to celebrate the New Year. There are also several different types of New Year’s celebrations. Get your noise makers and let’s learn about how people around the world celebrate the New Year! Webquest: 1. New Year’s has been celebrated for over 4000 years. It began with which ancient culture?_________________They celebrated the beginning of the new year with the first new moon , after the vernal equinox occurred. Their celebration lasted 11 days! In which month did New Year’s take place? _____________What important event always took placed during this time? _______________________Find the answers at this link: http://www.his- tory.com/topics/new-years 2. On the Jewish calendar, September welcomes the new year. What is the name for this religious celebration?_________________ What does this phrase mean?____________________ What is a shofar? ______________________What are two things which Jewish people often do at this time of year?____________________What is the name for the bread often eaten at this time of year and what is often spread on this bread?______________Find the answers at this link: http://www.factmon- ster.com/spot/rosh-hashanah.html 3. The celebrating of the new year on January 1st began with which ancient culture?__________________For whom is the month of January named? __________________Why did he have two faces? _________________________For a time, ___________was used as the be- ginning of the year as was ____________In which year, did Pope Gregory X111 return the calendar to January 1, as New Year’s Day? _________________Find the answers at this link: http://www.history.com/ topics/new-years 4. Each year, many people celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square, in New York City. What was use to make the first ball? __________________With one hundred lights, it was 5 ft. in diameter and weighed ___________ pounds. In which two years wasn’t a ball lowered in Times Square?_______ and ________Why?___________What was done instead during these two years?_____________________The idea of dropping a ball dates back to 1833, at England’s Royal Observatory, at Greenwich. Why was a ball dropped each day?_____________________ At which time of day was this done? ______________________ Where in the USA is this custom still done each day at noon?_________________ Find the answers at this link: http://www.timessquarenyc.org/events/new-years-eve/about-the- new-years-eve-ball/history-of-the-new-years-eve-ball/index.as- px#.Vq5qS8dOyUg 5. Chinese New Year is celebrated when the second new moon occurs during the winter solstice. In 2017, Chinese New Year begins on January 28th. The celebration lasts 15 days. Each year is named for one of 12 zodiac creatures. In 2017, it will be the year of the ________Which color is thought to bring good luck?_______A Chinese word for “plentiful“is similar to this particular creature, so it is used often during Chinese New Year._________According to legend, why doesn't “man” have a year on the Chinese Zodiac calendar? ________________. Find the answers at this link: http://gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?chinesenewyear.html 6. The people of India celebrate the beginning of the new year with a festival called Diwali. What are the lamps which people use to decorate their homes during this “festival of lights” called?____________What is the reason for the lamps being lit in homes during this time? ________________Gifts are given at this holiday and what are two other things people do during this time?_________and __________________ Diwali is also a religious celebra- tion. Who is the goddess of good wealth and fortune?____________Find the answers at this link: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/diwali/ #diwali_candles.jpg 7. The city of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, holds one of the largest New Year’s cel- ebrations. This color is worn by people during the celebration of the new year.________Why do people chose this color to wear?_________Find the an- swers at this link: http://www.hellokids.com/c_19316/reading-and-learning/stories-for-chil- dren/new-year-s-eve-around-the-world?pos=2#GVlXMFU9xEKkt9u1.99 8. On December 31st, the very first place to ring in the new year is located in the Indian Ocean. It is an island called_______________. What is another name for this island?_______________ The city of Auckland is the first ma- jor city to celebrate the beginning of the new year. In which country will you find the city of Auckland?____________ Why is it summertime in this area of the world on December 31st?___________Find the answers at this link: http://www.hellokids.com/c_19316/reading-and-learning/stories-for-chil- dren/new-year-s-eve-around-the-world?pos=1#BuykuuxeXIfh4R1P.99 9. The national holiday of Thailand is called Songkran. It is their New Year celebration. What is a custom done during this time?________ Why? ______________ In which month is it held?_____________This holiday is also called the “Water Festival”. What is something else that is also used at this celebration?_____________ In order to not have bad luck, what do people try and do around this time of year?__________________ The countries of Cam- bodia,Burma and Laos also celebrate this festival. Find the answers at this link: http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/songkran.php Fun Facts about New Year’s Celebrations: In Russia, divers place a New Year’s tree into Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake. Did you know that in Denmark on New Year’s Eve, people like to throw old broken dishes at the front door of friends? Did you know that eating 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight is consid- ered good luck in Spain? Hogmanay is a custom celebrated in Scotland at New Year’s. The word means “last day of the year”. One of the activities is “first footing”, being the first person to visit a neighbor or friend in the new year. Usually, a gift is brought, too. Christmas trees are made into bonfires to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Netherlands. This custom is done to symbolize getting rid of the old and wel- coming the new year. In Switzerland, don’t be surprised if you see people drop a bit of cream onto the floor on New Year’s Eve. It is thought that this will bring good luck in the new year. In the South American country of Venezuela, people like to write a wish on a piece of paper and then burn it so that the wish may come true in the new year. In the country of Italy, many people like wearing RED underwear at New Year’s believing the color will bring good luck in the new year. In other cul- tures, especially several countries in Latin America, wearing YELLOW is con- sidered good luck. In Mexico, don’t be surprised if you see people carrying empty suitcases around their house or street on New Year’s Eve. The custom is done if you would like to travel in the new year. The custom of having a ball drop from Times Square, in New York City, on New Year’s Eve , began in 1907. Some people in the south, believe eating black eyed peas will bring prosperity in the new year. In Austria, when midnight strikes on New Year’s Eve, many people like to waltz! Did you know that throwing a bucket of water outside a window at midnight ,is done in Puerto Rico, on New Year’s Eve? It is to get rid of bad spir- its. In Ireland, people bang bread on the walls and doors of their homes at mid- night, on New Year’s Eve. This is done to scare away evil spirits and to bring good luck. Finding an almond in rice pudding on New Year’s Eve means good luck in the new year. This custom is found in Sweden and Norway. People in the Philippines believe that round things bring good luck and often wear cloths with polka dots on New Year’s Eve. Another custom is to put all the lights on in the home, on New Year’s Eve, so that it will insure a good new year. Did you know that April Fool’s Day involved New Year’s Day? People used to celebrate the new year around March 25-April 1st. When a new calendar was adopted, it changed the new year to January 1st. Pranks were played on those that continued to celebrate the New year on April 1 st. Comprehension Questions: 1. Which holiday originated over the changing of the celebrating of the new year to January 1st? 2. What are two colors that are thought to bring good luck and are worn during new year’s celebrations? 3. The Festival of Lights is celebrated in India. What is this holiday called? What do people place in their homes during this time and why? 4. Why do the Swiss drop cream onto the floor as a New Year’s custom? What is a custom to bang on the walls on New Year’s Eve in Ireland? 5.