New Year is one of the oldest festive occasions, which is universally celebrated. It is the time when people celebrate the arrival of the forthcoming year and bid goodbye to the year that has passed by. New Year is celebrated all over the world, though not necessarily on 1st of January. It is interesting to note that not all the countries follow the same calendar. Countries like China, India and Israel have their own versions of lunar calendar and celebrate New Year at different periods. Some countries prefer to celebrate New Year in spring, when its time to sow new crops, while others in autumn i.e. at the time of harvest. Irrespective of the different timings, the occasion is celebrated with same zeal and enthusiasm across the globe.
Different countries follow different traditions and customs on the New Year, mostly related to superstitions and chasing away of evil spirits. This is done so that the bad experiences of the past are forgotten and one starts afresh and hopes for the best in the coming year. For instance, in Australia, January 1st is a public holiday and at midnight, on New Year 's Eve, people make a cacophony using whistles and rattles, car horns and church bells to chase away the evil spirits. Similarly, in various countries, diverse ways are adopted to celebrate the New Year, according to their long standing customs and traditions. Whatever are the rituals, one thing is for sure
- there is hardly any