The New Year is here again and people are all set to welcome it with a lot of anticipation, joy and zest. But what many of us don’t know is that the New Year is one of the oldest festivals of the world, dating back to the pre historic era. January 1, as it is celebrated in the present day is relatively a new phenomenon. If we look into the history of New Year, we will find that a series of changes has affected it to get to its present global form. The urge of celebrating New Year as a vibrant festivity emerged at the dawn of civilization. This becomes one of the principal reasons for New Year traditions to vary from country to country. It is believed that the earliest New Year celebrations have been in Mesopotamia in 2000 BC. A lot of other dates are also associated with it in other ancient cultures.
New Year traditional stories
A lot of people agree to the popular belief that what we do on the first day of the New Year affects the entire year. Some other common ones are:
• One popular belief is to kiss your beloved and your dear ones at the stroke of midnight conveying warmth, affection and care.
• You should settle and clear all your unsettled amounts and unpaid debts as it is not good for a New Year to begin with. Make sure to deal with all money settlements before the old year closes.
• It is auspicious to begin the New Year by wearing brand new clothes which ensures a steady flow of new clothes the entire year, adding jazz to your wardrobe.
• You should greet the New Year by making loud noises. Not only would you enjoy doing that, but also it is believed that it scares away evil spirits thus ensuring you have a hassle free New Year.
• Paying back loans or lending money to anyone on January 1 is not a good option as it indicates that you shall be paying all year long and money would be flowing out instead of coming in.
• Babies born on January 1 are believed to be lucky and have prosperity on their side.
• Avoid breaking things on the New Year day as it indicates that ‘wreck’ will be your companion for the rest of the year.
• Being happy and cheerful on the first day of the year is also recommended as it ensures a cheerful year ahead.
Some happy food for Day one of Twenty Eleven: Dal Soup with Tomato, Gajar and Kishmish Salad, Cheese and Vegetable Croquettes.