New Year

1 January

In the United States, the New Year is celebrated with Christmas. The whole holiday starts on the 24th of December and continues until January 3-5. Like many other places in the world, the New Year's Day in the United States of America marks the commencement of the next year as per the Gregorian calendar. As the day follows the Christmas celebration, it becomes a ten days festivity for families, especially for the children.  

The celebration of the New Year as a holiday is reported to be the first of its kind and it was supposed to be started in Babylon about 4000 years ago although it was not exactly on the same date. In fact, the time is also ideal for the celebration as it is the beginning of the spring season - a time associate with the replanting of crops.  

The day marks the completion of a year and with it the end of the events occurring between a particular time frame. Different media like newspaper, television and radio deliberate about the important news events of the year and discuss things about the coming year. While the common things that get most news-space is the socio-political aspects of life, people in general, view it as an occasion to take stock of things and look at the future with hope. They also look at it as a day to forget the past and plan ahead by gaining experience from the mistakes they did and achievements they made. Many people also make New Year resolutions – foregoing some bad habits like smoking or drinking or starting a glorious and fulfilling ones like doing the daily quota or workouts. Many people also believe that they would be able to continue with the good things they did on that day, throughout the year. Hence, they prepare delicious dishes; go to the beaches, parks or any other place they like to enjoy with their families and friends. Some people also celebrate the new year by eating black-eyed peas wit hog jowls or ham, as they are believe to bring good fortune. Cabbage is also considered to bring in 'good luck' and Americans eat it on the day.  

But what most important is the observance part of the day. It is day of fun and frolic or merriment of the children. The elders congregate in the neighborhood and welcome the New Year. Special events are organized in hotels and resorts. Community gatherings are held. The celebration is also marked with fireworks at the stroke of midnight.