HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2012
The Year of Dragon
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2012 is the year of dragon. I found a list of characteristics of a dragon from Wikipedia.
“Magnanimous, stately, vigorous, strong, self-assured, proud, noble, direct, dignified, eccentric, intellectual, fiery, passionate, decisive, pioneering, artistic, generous, loyal,wise, humble, imperious, foresighted, demanding, intolerant, peaceful, impetuous,understanding, and blunt.”
New Year’s Traditions Around the World
Do you have a New Year tradition? The only tradition I participate is the Rose Bowl College Football game that I watch on TV. I do not have a New Year tradition for my family but I am thinking about starting one. Below are several New Year’s Day traditions from around the world.
In Spain, the people on New Year’s eve eat twelve grapes at midnight. The tradition is meant to secure twelve happy months in the coming year.
In Japan, the Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times at midnight, which represents 108 types of human weakness that they are trying to remove. On the New Year’s day, everyone wears new clothes and they decorate their homes with pine branches and bamboo as a symbol of long life. The children receive small monetary gifts from their family.
In Greece, the children leave their shoes by the fireplace on the New Year’s Day hoping that their shoes are filled with gifts from Saint Basil, who was known for being kind to everyone.
In Asian countries, it is the tradition of many families to travel to the east coast to watch the sun rise up from the horizon over the ocean on New Year’s Day. These people wish good luck as they watch this gorgeous event.
Do you have a New Year’s Day tradition? How do you celebrate New year’s Day with your family?
Our family tradition is a trip to the local zoo on New Year’s Day, no matter then weather. Happy 2012!
The guys watch football (college or professional) and the girls go to the mall. I don’t know if that qualifies, but we end up doing it every year. Happy New Year
So we are having a baby dragon this year, that should keep things interesting around the house! We don’t really have a tradition, other than recovering after the celebrations. Happy New Year
I do not have any new years traditions but I like your rose bowl tradition! I might have to borrow that
I don’t really have any traditions but I went to a yoga workshop on New Years day this year. It was a great way to start the new year!