10 Fascinating Facts About New Year’s
In Spain, it is considered good luck to eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve, one for each stroke of the clock.
The first known New Year’s celebrations were in ancient Mesopotamia around 2000 B.C.
The Times Square New Year’s Eve ball weighs over 11,000 pounds and has over 2,500 Waterford crystals.
Around 1 million people gather in Times Square each year to watch the ball drop.
The most popular New Year’s resolution is to exercise more.
In Greece, it is believed that smashing a pomegranate on the ground brings good luck for the coming year.
The song Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung at midnight to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one.
The largest New Year’s fireworks display is in Sydney, Australia.
In Colombia, it is customary to carry an empty suitcase around the block on New Year’s Day to ensure a year filled with travel.
The first country to celebrate New Year’s each year is Samoa, due to its location near the international date line.
In Japan, it is believed that laughing at midnight on New Year’s Eve will bring good luck.
The concept of New Year’s resolutions dates back to the Babylonians, who made promises to the gods at the start of each year.
In Brazil, white clothing is worn on New Year’s Eve to represent peace and good luck.
The Times Square ball has been dropped every year since 1907, except for 1942 and 1943 due to blackout restrictions during World War II.
10 Fascinating Facts About New Year’s part 2
In Denmark, it is a tradition to smash plates and glasses against friends’ doors on New Year’s Eve as a sign of affection.
The first televised New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square was in 1946.
The most common New Year’s resolution in the United States is to save money.
In Scotland, the New Year’s celebration is called Hogmanay and can last up to several days.
The earliest recorded New Year’s celebrations were in ancient Babylon around 4,000 years ago.
In the Philippines, it is believed that the noise of fireworks scares away evil spirits and brings good luck for the coming year.
The average person spends about six hours celebrating New Year’s.
In Italy, people wear red underwear on New Year’s Eve for good luck.
The tradition of making noise on New Year’s Eve dates back to ancient times, where people believed it would scare away evil spirits.
In South Africa, it is customary to throw old furniture out of windows on New Year’s Day to symbolize a fresh start.
The world’s largest New Year’s Eve party is held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The fireworks in Dubai on New Year’s Eve are so grand that they can be seen from a distance of 20 miles.
In Ecuador, it is common to burn scarecrows filled with old clothes and items on New Year’s Eve to symbolize getting rid of the past and welcoming the new.
The two most common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight and quit smoking.
New Year’s Day was originally celebrated on March 1st in ancient Rome.
In Mexico, it is customary to eat 12 grapes at midnight and make 12 wishes for the upcoming year.
The first New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square was in 1907 and was made of iron and wood.
In the Netherlands, it is common to eat oliebollen, a type of sweet dumpling, on New Year’s Eve.
The New Year’s Eve fireworks in London are set off from the London Eye, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
In Belgium, it is believed that eating a waffle on New Year’s Day brings good luck.
The New Year’s Eve ball in Times Square is made up of 32,256 LEDs.
In Russia, it is traditional to write a wish on a small piece of paper and burn it, then drink the ashes mixed with champagne at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
The concept of the New Year’s resolution became popular in the United States in the late 19th century.
In Ireland, it is customary to bang bread against the walls and doors on New Year’s Eve to ward off evil spirits.
The New Year’s Eve ball in Times Square is illuminated by more than 32,000 LED lights.
In Germany, it is believed that eating herring at midnight on New Year’s Eve brings good luck for the year ahead.
The first known New Year’s resolutions were made by the ancient Babylonians, who promised to repay their debts and return borrowed items.
In the Czech Republic, it is common to eat lentil soup on New Year’s Day for good luck and prosperity.
The New Year’s Eve ball in Times Square has been made of crystal since 2000.
In Finland, it is tradition to predict the coming year by casting molten tin into a bucket of water and interpreting the resulting shape.
The New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square is watched by over 1 billion people worldwide.