The New Year is the first day of the year, that is 1 January of the Gregorian calendar.
But why do you celebrate the New Year?
Because you are ready to revel until dawn as soon snaps midnight?
Because it is said that if you do not do something on New Year not do more for the whole year?
Because they shoot the fireworks New Year? In this article I will reveal some interesting facts about New Year's.
The origins of the New Year's party
The decision to consider on January 1 as the date of beginning of the year dates back to Roman times and Julius Caesar, namely the year 46 BC.
The New Year festival originated from the festivities in honor of the god of beginnings, the God Janus, from which it takes its name the month of January.
On January 1 of each year was the custom of the Romans to invite friends to dinner and gift exchange as a white vase with honey, dates and figs, accompanied by laurel twigs (strenne), to wish luck and happiness.
Even in the seventh century the pagans of Flanders (now Belgium) followers of the Druids (priests), had the custom to celebrate the turn of the year.
Centuries go by and here we are finally at the New Year's Eve 2016, where for us Italians apply the usual rituals of celebration: it is the New Year's Eve, you make resolutions for the new year, they shoot the fireworks of New Year, we toast with sparkling wine and you eat the cake or pandoro.
There are also a number of superstitious rituals for the most superstitious: dress underwear in red, throwing objects from the old window, eat lentils, kissing under the mistletoe ...
And these are just some of our rituals, every culture has its own customs and the New Year and it would be impossible to list them all.
But let's analyze in detail some typical custom of New Year:
- Why you eat lentils on New Year?They eat lentils on New Year because it is thought to bring in money, because the legumes are considered food capable of feeding and object to the end of time in view of a number of good prospects for the future.
- Because they shoot the fireworks at New Year?The year-end fires are used to ward off evil spirits and the forces of evil that appear between the end of one year and the beginning of a new one, as well as representing joy for the arrival of the new year.
- Why do we kiss under the mistletoe at New Year?The custom of lovers kissing under the mistletoe at midnight is a good omen for the love of a couple, this is because the mistletoe is a plant of good omen that gives prolificacy both material and spiritual (belief that dates back to the times of druids).
- Why is red lingerie at New Year?Chettelodicoaffare (cit.), Again for good luck.
Ancient Romans wore red as the symbol of blood and war to drive away the fear. - Because they throw old things in new year?Throw old things at midnight is a sign of change in the new year, and it is a good omen.
- Those who do not have sex on New Year do not have sex all year
The explanation of this saying, which is usually written with the word "broom": p sincerely I could not find her, but I think it comes from a different interpretation of the custom of eating grapes and pomegranate at New Year.
It is thought that eating grapes at New Year bring luck and prosperity ( "those who eat grapes for New Year counts his money all year"), while the pomegranate symbolizes marital fidelity and a legend has it that Proserpina, after eating the pomegranate , he was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in Hades with his Pluto groom.
I hope I have satisfied your curiosity on the New Year's party.
If you want to find out something more about Christmas, read my post about the origins of Christmas.
Happy New Year!!!
