How Do Different Countries Celebrate New Year's Eve?

December 31st is the one night of the year where everyone gets to stay up late. But not all countries celebrate saying goodbye to the past 365 days in the same way. And some countries like China wait an extra month for their new year. In fact in Thailand the last day of the year passes in April. But what about all the Gregorians? Well here's how the parties differ:

Australia

Australia kicks off New Year's Eve celebrations around the world with the clock striking 00.00 before any other country. The big party is in Sydney with two million people gathering for a staggering fireworks display set to music over the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The celebration is then broadcast on televisions across the world to show everyone the kind of thing they can soon expect.

Austria

Austrians call New Year's Eve Sylverterabend after Saint Sylvester. Sylvester was a Pope in the 300s! He was buried on December 31st. German speaking countries and some others close-by recognise the 31st as the feast of Sylvester. In Austria there are public concerts and lots of spiced punch called Punsch and mulled wine called Glühwein sold from the market stalls.

Belgium

The Belgium New Year's Eve is called Sint Sylvester Vooranvond or Saint Sylvester Eve. It's pretty standard fare. Everyone eats, drinks, parties and kisses at midnight. The party is called the réveillon.

New Year's Day is called Nieuwjaarsdag and children read wishes they have written on cards and drawings to their parents. Apparently Belgian farmers always wish each of their animals a Happy New Year. It doesn't say about the kissing.

Brazil

Brazilian people love to party and New Year's Eve is one of the big ones. It marks the Fiesta de Iemanjá (the Goddess of Water) Two million partygoers head to the Copacabana beach in Rio for the carnival and thousands of candles are lit and washed out to sea.

England

The famous celebration is held in London with millions of
pounds being spent on a two minute firework display. People kiss at
midnight and sing the first line of the famous Scottish song Auld Lang
Syne. Then they mouth the rest of the song and vow to learn all the
words for the next New Year's Eve party which they don't do. People
drink a lot and there is a tradition called 'first footing' where the first person over the threshold of a house after midnight must bring coal, bread, milk, alcohol... For luck. The gifts are then distributed to all the people in the house. There are also New Year's Resolutions where everyone decides to give something up for a whole year like smoking. Recently resolutions have involved starting something new as well. The most important thing about New Year's Eve is unfortunately the
drinking.

Germany

Berlin holds an enormous party at the Brandenburg Gate but the more traditional German is happy dropping molten lead into cold water and predicting the future. If it becomes a heart then there's a wedding, a ship means a journey and a pig equals food. So there you go. And they leave a bit of every food on the table to ensure they have enough to eat for the year ahead. But what happens to that food? Don't you think it goes in the bin on New Year's Day?

Greece

The important day in Greece is January 1 or St Basil's Day. Basil brings gifts to children and families have special meals and parties to welcome him. The traditional food is the Vassilopitta cake. Anyone who finds a silver or gold coin inside will be lucky for the whole year

Hungary

(another Jack Straw!)
If your name is Jack Straw do not go to Hungary for New Year's Eve, because the chances are you will be burnt. The tradition in Hungary on the 31st December is to burn an effigy called Jack Straw which represents all the evil and bad luck in the world. The effigy is taken around all the villages.

Japan

The Japanese holiday known as Oshogatsu is a time for peace and rest. On New Year's Day the people eat Mochi (rice cakes) and Ozoni (a stew). Families give money to children in a tradition called otoshi-dama (New Year treasure) and houses are decorated with origami cranes which along with the turtle bring peace and happiness.

Korea

On January 1, Koreans eat tekgut which is a rice cake soup made with
beef and dumplings. All Koreans become one year older on January first
(yes, a Korean has two birthdays). In South Korea many people travel to
Jung dong jin on the peninsula for the first view of the sun.

Netherlands

In Holland New Year is the time for fire. All the Christmas trees are taken from houses and burnt in the streets while fireworks explode in the skies.

Philippines

New Year is great in the Philippines especially if you are a child. Children who jump about will grow taller in the coming year. And many children rattle tins with coins in to bring wealth to the people. Many people wear clothes with dots as this symbolizes health and fertility. Similarly tables are decorated with baskets of twelve different round fruits to symbolize prosperity in each coming month.

Portugal and Spain

In Spain and Portugal the tradition is to eat a grape on each of the twelve bongs of the midnight clock. It's harder than it sounds. This usually takes place at the family party and then the young people go to the discos and aren't seen again until February.

Russia

New Year's Eve in Russia is much like Christmas Eve in America except Santa is replaced by Grandfather Frost or Ded Moroz. Ded Moroz (who wears a blue suit) brings children presents on his sleigh on the night of New Year's Eve and then the family has a dinner on New Year's Day.

Scotland

Scotland's New Year's Eve party is called Hogmanay. There is a tradition known as first footing (see England). Generally the Scottish have a huge party in Prince's Street in Edinburgh where everyone holds hands, sings and gets very very drunk.  And there might be some sword dancing too!

United States

The New Year's Eve of so many films and TV shows is the one in Times Square, New York. Millions gather at 23.59 to watch the one minute descent of a 12 foot crystal ball. Then there are huge fireworks display and lots of ticker tape and... Well you've seen it all in the movies.

In the south the more rustic way of celebrating New Year is to eat black-eyed peas, 365 if possible, along with a lot of peas or turnips which all signify green American money for the coming year.