New Year is always believed to bring in a new future with better luck and prosperity. This is true with many people across nations and culture, speaking different languages and following different calendars. That’s why it is celebrated with more importance, enthusiasm and happiness. It is interesting to note that there are many traditions followed by different cultures since ancient times; people follow it strictly with more faith and satisfaction. Let’s take a look at some of the interesting New Year traditions.

· Exchanging greetings and wishes with people close to them is the foremost custom followed from ancient period; this is to express their love and goodwill for them. Similarly people set off fireworks, clap hands, shake hands, hug each other and make loud noise during the midnight of the New Year. Sparkling fireworks not only express the excitement of the celebrations, but traditionally people believe that fire will ward off negative energies or evil spirits.

· The heart of the New Year celebrations is the food and there are lot of customs and beliefs associated with the dishes consumed during the New Year. For example some people believe that eating anything circular in shape like a ring brings good luck; that’s why dough nuts are consumed most during their New Year celebrations. In some culture, people eat 12 grapes at midnight when the clock strikes twelve; any sour grape indicates something bad during the month that corresponds the numerical order of the grapes; for example a fourth sour grape indicates bad things for the fourth month of the year.

2011

· Legumes are considered to be lucky and people prepare dish out of legumes for the New Year Eve dinner; also the black eyed peas bring in good fortune and so a soup of it is liked by many people.

· In some countries, few stuffs are followed as a strict tradition, like cleaning the home, throwing away old things on the street out of the window, etc; there are incidents where people throw even refrigerators out of the window making it riskier to walk on the streets!

· Taking New Year resolutions is very common for many people; popular New Year resolutions are quit smoking, clear away debts, spend more time with family, lose weight, etc

· Religiously oriented people go to temples or churches and pray at night, thanking God for good past and a better future.