New Year Traditions

I hope you were all off to a wonderful start of the brand new year. My prayers for those in pain and need will certainly go on so their ordeal will soon be over.

Many New Year’s traditions that we take for granted actually date from ancient times. From singing “Auld Lang Syne” to eating black-eyed peas for good luck, discover different ways to celebrate the start of 2024! Making lots of noise and light – from fireworks to gunshots to church bells – seems to be a favorite New Year’s pastime across the globe. Ready to fill in the following blanks?:

 

In Korea, children and students bow to their elders and receive small gifts of 1. _____________. This is a way people pay respect to their elders, and the elders wish them good health and all the best of luck throughout the new year.

 

In Thailand, it was once tradition to fire guns to frighten off 2.___________.

 

In China, firecrackers routed the forces of 3. _______________.

 

In the early American colonies, the sound of 4._________ shots rang through the air to celebrate the new year. Today, many Americans watch the ball drop in New York Times Square, and in the southern U.S., eating 5.____________________ and pork to wish for good fortune.

 

In Argentina, family meal at New Year in Argentina is not complete without Turrón, a type of nougat, and Pan Dulce, also known as 6. ______________. Families will often have a late meal to see in the new year, and then head to church at dawn to pray for a good year to come.

 

In Ecuador, it is tradition to burn the effigies of famous people to destroy bad 7. “___________” from past year and start fresh.

 

In Denmark, they throw plates and glasses against each other’s front doors to banish bad 8. ____________.

 

In Scotland, they hold 9.________________ ceremonies where people parade while swinging giant fireballs on poles.

 

The 10. (the native ethnic group in Ireland)________________ enjoy pastries called Bannocks, while in India and Pakistan, 11. (which grain?)___________ promises prosperity.

 

In Spain, people attempt to eat 12. (which fruit?)_____________ during the 12 strokes of midnight. Tradition says that if they succeed before the chimes stop, they will have good luck for all 12 months of the coming year.

 

 

Answer Keys

    1.  money

    2.  demons

    3.  darkness

    4.  gun/ pistol

    5.  black-eyed peas

    6.  Panettone

    7.  juju

    8.  spirits

    9.  bonfire

    10. Irish

    11. rice

    12. grapes