How the New Year is celebrated in different countries of the world. P. 1.

The New Year is truly an international holiday, but in different countries, it is celebrated in its own way. Italians, for example, throw old irons and chairs out of the windows with all the southern passion, the inhabitants of Panama are trying to make noise as loud as possible, for which they turn on the sirens of their cars, whistle and scream. In Ecuador, special importance is attached to underwear, which brings love and money, in Bulgaria people turn off the light, because the first minutes of the New Year - this is the time of New Year's kisses. In Japan, 108 bells are sounded instead of usual 12 ones, and the best New Year's accessory is the rake - to rake in happiness.

Italy

Italian Santa Claus is Babbo Natale. Babbo Natale is a skinnier and more regal-looking version of Santa Claus. They both wear red cloaks with white trim, but Santa Claus has most decidedly enjoyed more second helpings at the dinner table than Babbo Natale.

In Italy people believe that the New Year should be started, freeing itself from everything old. Therefore, on New Year's Eve, it is customary to throw old things out of the windows. The Italians like this custom very much, and they fulfil it with all the passion that is characteristic of southerners: old irons, chairs and other trash fly through the window. The people believe that new things will occupy the vacant place certainly.

Sweden

In Sweden, before the New Year, the children choose the Queen of Light Lucia. She is dressed in a white dress, wearing a crown with lighted candles on her head. Lucia brings gifts to children and delicacies to pets: a cream to a cat, a sugar bone to a dog, a carrot to a donkey. On a festive night, people do not turn off the lights in houses, the streets are brightly lit.

England

Historian Andrei Zabolotnyi said that it is customary in England to play out performances for children for New Year on the subjects of old English fairy tales. Lord Disorder leads to a fun carnival procession, in which fabulous characters take part: Hobby Horse, March Hare, Humpty Dumpty, Punch and others. On New Year's Eve, street vendors sell toys, whistles, peepers, masks, balloons. A custom to exchange Christmas greeting cards appeared first in England. The first Christmas card was printed in London in 1843.

Scotland

The most widespread national custom is the practice of first-footing, which starts immediately after midnight. This involves being the first person to cross the threshold of a friend or neighbour and often involves the giving of symbolic gifts such as salt (less common today), coal, shortbread, whisky, and black bun (a rich fruit cake), intended to bring different kinds of luck to the householder. Food and drink (as the gifts) are then given to the guests. This may go on throughout the early hours of the morning and well into the next day (although modern days see people visiting houses well into the middle of January). The first-foot is supposed to set the luck for the rest of the year. Traditionally, tall, dark-haired men are preferred as the first-foot.

It is customary for New Year's Eve to set fire to barrels of tar and roll them along the streets, thus burning the Old Year and inviting a New Year.

Colombia

The main character of the New Year carnival in Colombia is Old Year. He walks in a crowd on high stilts and tells funny stories to children. Papa Pasquale is a Colombian Santa Claus. No one knows fireworks better than him.

France

French Santa Claus - Pere Noel - comes on New Year's Eve and leaves gifts in children's shoes. The one who gets a bob baked in the New Year's pie gets the title of "bean king" and on a festive night, all obey his orders.

Finland. The homeland of Santa Claus

In snow-covered Finland, the main winter holiday is Christmas, which is celebrated on December 25. On Christmas night, having overcome a long road from Lapland, Santa Claus comes into the house, leaving a large basket with gifts for the children's delight. New Year is a kind of Christmas repetition. Again the whole family gathers at the festive table. On New Year's Eve Finns are trying to find out their future and are wondering, melting the wax and pouring it into cold water.

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