|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Message board > New Year Customs
New Year Customs
|
jannabanna
|
New Year Customs
|
|
May I start a new thread
about New Year customs all over the world? I would like to know about other
countries and I �m sure I �m not the only one. They could be local customs,
family customs or those traditionally done in the country.
I �ll start:
In my family (and I don�t
know if it originated in Scotland or England) just after midnight we used to go
out of the back door and come in the front door of the house. Out with the �old� in with the �new�.
What about you?
Janet
|
1 Jan 2013
|
|
|
|
cunliffe
|
Nice idea, Janet. Where I come from we always have to have a first foot. He has to be dark and preferably short. He should bring a piece of coal in with him. This will ensure you have good luck throughout the year. The customs reflect the people and I come from a mining community.
OK then, drum roll, here is my claim to fame!  The film �Billy Elliot� was shot in the village I come from - I don�t live there now. Our old house can be seen, also my cousin�s house and her washing was out on the line, for all to see! Btw, Janet, I�ve just looked at your area. What a fantastic contributor you are! |
1 Jan 2013
|
|
|
|
|
jannabanna
|
|
Oh, well HAPPY BIRTHDAY sarguero !!! I heard on the news this morning that they put red underwear on in Italy too!! Janet |
1 Jan 2013
|
|
|
Grancia77
|
|
Hello,
In Poland, we we put on NEW underwear (I mean brand new underwear bought before Christmas). The new underwear symbolizes new better days that will come with the New Year.
According to another Polish custom, if you want to have lots of money or at least don �t have any problems with it, you should keep a coin in your pocket at midnight on December 31st.
oh and what �s important on January 1st you should observe the whole day as your upcoming year will resemble this day. For example, if you argue with someone on January 1st, you �ll argue with others the whole year etc. ;)
Grace |
1 Jan 2013
|
|
|
MoodyMoody
|
|
In the South of the USA, we eat ham, black-eyed peas, and some kind of greens such as turnip greens or collards on New Year �s Day. The ham represents food, the black-eyed peas represent coins, and the greens represent dollar bills. The whole meal is supposed to represent hopes for prosperity in the new year. (It tastes pretty good, too.) It is different in other parts of the US; we have a lot more African influence on our food in my part of the country. |
1 Jan 2013
|
|
|
EstherLee76
|
|
I �m not from Peru, but they have lots of interesting customs for New Year �s here. Yellow is the lucky color so people decorate their homes with yellow balloons and garlands. Many people wear yellow underwear or clothing. We also eat 12 grapes at midnight with sparkling wine, turkey, panetton and hot chocolate. (I personally can �t eat it. Just the wine, grapes and maybe panetton). Some people believe that if you run around the block with your suitcase in your hand, you will travel during the year. Some people make dummies and burn them at midnight, signalling the end of the previous year. �Feliz A�o Chicos! |
1 Jan 2013
|
|
|
Larisa.
|
|
I �m from Russia and we also have some customs. New Year not Christmas is the biggest celebration in my country (I think it �s due to our Soviet times when church was in deep disgrace). Well we usually have a very big dinner and salade olivier is a compulsive dish in many families. :) It is my son �s favourite salad by the way. It brings you good luck if you wear a new outfit on that day. And everybody welcomes the New Year with the president saying his message on TV and then while the Moscow chiming clock is striking 12 times everybody makes a wish and drinks champagne (some people write their wish on a piece of paper burn it and put the ashes in a glass of champagne and drink it - they have to do it within 12 strikes). Then we usually go outside and set off fireworks. And a lot of people do the same so you can enjoy fireworks displays till 2 - 3 or sometimes 4 o �clock in the morning. If it is warm (-15 -20 C ) we go to the central square to the main New Year tree to meet our friends which hardly ever happens here in Siberia. This year it was -35C so we had to stay at home and watch TV. :( Happy New Year everyone!
|
1 Jan 2013
|
|
|
jannabanna
|
|
Gosh - this is getting really interesting! Wish it could go all around the world! Thank you all so much, Janet |
2 Jan 2013
|
|
|
