Did you know civilizations across the globe have celebrated the New Year for four millennia? If you want to learn about the many different new year celebrations, we can help.
We’ll go over all kinds of new year celebrations in this guide. Have fun learning about the different traditions celebrated by people across the globe.
Want to learn more? Keep reading.
1. Lunar New Year
The Lunar New Year changes each year because the months of each year will get marked by moon cycles. The Lunar New Year gets celebrated on the date of the first new moon.
The celebration is associated with the Chinese New Year but is celebrated widely in East Asia.
People gather together and enjoy parades and festivities. A lot of people will use the time to meet up with friends and family. They will travel a lot during this period.
2. January and the Gregorian New Year
The first day of January in the Gregorian calendar is when people celebrate the New Year.
March 25 during Roman times was when New Year was celebrated. Yet, the shift occurred during Roman times, as Christianity began to grow. A lot of places started using the Gregorian calendar.
People love to get together and party with friends and family. People tend to make resolutions during this period. In recent years, people have focused on the celebratory aspect of New Year’s Eve.
You might be familiar with the epic firework displays and parties. Prepare for next year’s celebration by checking out these family packs.
3. Nowruz
Nowruz means ‘a new day’ in Farsi and starts on the spring equinox. The celebration focuses on the rebirth of nature.
Nowruz is also known as Persian or Iranian New Year and is celebrated across Central Asia. Diasporas across the globe also celebrate.
People recite poetry, leap over bonfires, and listen to folk music. Celebrations include festivities to overcome the season of darkness and sorrow.
Families will gather together and play sports or attend street festivals.
4. Songkran
Songkran means ‘to move’ in Sanskrit, coinciding with the solar calendar.
It marks the sun’s movement from Pisces to Aries in the zodiac. People in Thailand celebrate Songkran. The customs will vary depending on the region in Thailand.
Songkran is a special event in the Buddhist calendar, and water remains at the center. Songkran is a time to purify yourself spiritually and cleanse away bad luck from the year before.
Young people will visit older generations during the New Year. The young will pour water over the elder’s feet and hands as a sign of respect.
During the festival, people will throw water at each other in the streets and use water guns.
5. Muharram
Muharram is during the first month of the Islamic calendar and is celebrated on the tenth day. It’s called the Day of Ashura. The rituals and traditions will vary for the two main sects of Islam, Sunni, and Shia.
The main emphasis is to express gratitude, self-reflection, and remembrance. People celebrate by visiting their family, fasting, and prayer sessions. The New Year is a period of mourning and reflection.
6. Enkutatash
Enkutatash occurs on Meskerem 1 on the Ethiopian calendar. It consists of 12 months and 30 days. There’s the 13th month of five or six days.
Enkutatash is on 11 September on the Gregorian calendar and means the gift of jewels. It referred to when the Queen of Sheba returned home from a trip.
The celebrations often last a week and remain centered around family. People will travel home and enjoy meals together.
7. Diwali
Diwali is a Hindu lunar celebration and lasts for five days. It’s called the Festival of Lights and focuses on starting afresh.
The dates change every year and depend on the Hindu calendar. The celebration will occur in mid-October or mid-November.
Diwali takes place on Amavasya, the new moon, the darkest night in the Hindu calendar. There are various customs, and they depend on the area where people celebrate.
The theme of light remains constant. People will clean and decorate their homes to welcome Lakshmi, a goddess of wealth. People will visit family and neighbors.
8. Pahela Baishakh
Bengali people will celebrate Pahela Baishakh in April. The celebrations will get held on the first day of Baishakh. Baishakh is the first month of the Bengali calendar and the start of harvesting.
Bengalis will have feast days and perform different cultural performances. The Sikhs will sing, dance, and recite from their sacred book.
9. Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. It’s celebrated on the first and second day in the Hebrew lunar month of Tishrei.
Rosh Hashanah means the ‘head of the year’ and is a time of reflection. People will atone for wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness and forgive others.
A shofar, a ram’s horn trumpet, will get blown before and during the new year. It’s a call to inspire soul-searching among people.
Most people will spend the New Year at home or in the synagogue. Customs and traditions will vary from family, but symbolic foods remain a constant.
Pomegranate seeds will get eaten to ensure a year full of good deeds.
Get Inspired by Different New Year Celebrations
We hope this guide on the new year celebrations was helpful. According to other calendars, many different festivals get held across the world.
Teach your family about the celebrations. Host a party at your home next year, and reflect on the year.
Are you looking for more useful guides? Stick around and check out our other exciting guides on our blog.
