New Year's Eve traditionally inspires people to throw out the old and ring in the new. The United States is host to many traditions, several of them stemming from cultural and religious observances. Many people enjoy seeing the new year in with family and friends, while others choose to do so in public venues. Across the country, though, Americans adhere to their customary habits at midnight and beyond.
Celebrate New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is a major social holiday for many people in the United States. Many people hold parties at home or attend special celebrations to celebrate the upcoming New Year. In many cities, large scale public events are held. These often attract thousands of people.
New Year's Eve is a major social holiday for many people in the United States. Many people hold parties at home or attend special celebrations to celebrate the upcoming New Year. In many cities, large scale public events are held. These often attract thousands of people.
Times Square in New York CityA particularly striking aspect of the New Year's Eve festivities is the ball drop in Times Square in Manhattan, New York City. The ball is made of crystal and electric lights and is placed on top of a pole, which is 77 feet, or 23 meters, high. At one minute before midnight on December 31, the ball is lowered slowly down the pole. It comes to rest at the bottom of the pole at exactly midnight. The event is shown on television across the United States and around the world. The event has been held every year since 1907, except during World War II.
people start gathering around times Square very early in the morning and wait for hours for this major event. Alcoholic drinks are not allowed and security is extreme.
Across the United States a range of cities and towns hold their own versions of the ball drop. A variety of objects are lowered or raised during the last minute of the year. The objects are usually linked to an aspect of local history or industry. Examples of objects 'dropped' or raised in this way include a variety of live and modeled domestic and wild animals, fruit, vegetables, automobiles, industrial machinery, a giant replica of a peach (Atlanta, Georgia), an acorn made of brass and weighing 900 pounds (Raleigh, North Carolina) and ping pong balls (Strasburg, Pennsylvania).[1]
Across the United States a range of cities and towns hold their own versions of the ball drop. A variety of objects are lowered or raised during the last minute of the year. The objects are usually linked to an aspect of local history or industry. Examples of objects 'dropped' or raised in this way include a variety of live and modeled domestic and wild animals, fruit, vegetables, automobiles, industrial machinery, a giant replica of a peach (Atlanta, Georgia), an acorn made of brass and weighing 900 pounds (Raleigh, North Carolina) and ping pong balls (Strasburg, Pennsylvania).[1]
MidnightMany traditions revolve around the stroke of midnight, which heralds the new year. At both public and private gatherings, people count down the last 10 seconds of the old year. At the stroke of midnight, many people toast to the new year with a glass of champagne. Some people grab a loved one or a friendly stranger and bestow the first kiss of the year. Many towns and cities put on a show with fireworks and provide noisemakers, meant to scare off evil spirits. Many Americans band together and sing "Auld Lang Syne," an Irish song bidding farewell to the old year.
Food
Some Americans eat certain foods either at New Year's Eve parties or on New Year's Day to bring good luck. European-Americans often eat pork, not only because the pig's plumpness suggests plenty, but also because pigs dig with their snout in a forward motion. People like the idea of moving forward into the new year. New Englanders often choose cabbage to go with their pork as a symbol of prosperity. Another dish for prosperity is Hoppin' John, a southern dish made of black-eyed peas. Not only do the "eyes" on the black-eyed peas resemble a circle -- for the completed year, the abundance of them symbolizes the hope for a similar amount of money.Other Traditions
Several cities host "first night" festivities, alcohol-free, family-oriented celebrations often featuring live music. Many African-Americans observe "Watch Night" in their local churches as an observance of the Emancipation Proclamation's signing on January 1, 1863. Others follow traditions for lucky underwear. Red underwear is said to bring Italian-Americans love; yellow underwear signifies happiness and prosperity to Latin Americans; and polka-dotted underwear is expected to bring fortune to Filipino-Americans. [2]
New Year Traditions in the US
Gatherings and fun moments includes watching of championship football games in the stadiums. The streets are crowded with youth and elderly people dressed fashionably to welcome the new year with great joy.
The streets are decorated with lanterns, flash lights and colored papers. Flags are also adorned to express happiness. Giant vibrant colored electric apples are lowered to the ground at the time when people start saying “Happy New Year”.
American New Year customs are very colorful and entertaining event. You can have fun at the dance parties which is one of the major celebrations on New Year eve. At the stroke of midnight all the Americans shares kisses and express their New Year greetings. This tradition came in existence from the masked ball which symbolizes evil spirits. It is believed that when you kiss it wades off the veil spirits and purifies the new beginning.
With the change of celebrating ways people have altered this tradition. They honk car horns to express the announcement of New Year party time. People blow paper blowers and whistles which is very exciting way of wishing happy new year [3]
Gatherings and fun moments includes watching of championship football games in the stadiums. The streets are crowded with youth and elderly people dressed fashionably to welcome the new year with great joy.
American New Year customs are very colorful and entertaining event. You can have fun at the dance parties which is one of the major celebrations on New Year eve. At the stroke of midnight all the Americans shares kisses and express their New Year greetings. This tradition came in existence from the masked ball which symbolizes evil spirits. It is believed that when you kiss it wades off the veil spirits and purifies the new beginning.
With the change of celebrating ways people have altered this tradition. They honk car horns to express the announcement of New Year party time. People blow paper blowers and whistles which is very exciting way of wishing happy new year [3]
Auld Lang Syne
The most commonly sung song for English-speakers on New Year's eve, "Auld Lang Syne" is an old
Scottish song that was first published by the poet Robert Burns in the 1796 edition of the book, Scots Musical Museum.
It is often remarked that "Auld Lang Syne" is one of the most popular songs that nobody knows the lyrics to. "Auld Lang Syne" literally translates as "old long since" and means "times gone by." The song asks whether old friends and times will be forgotten and promises to remember people of the past with fondness, "For auld lang syne, we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet."
But it was bandleader Guy Lombardo, and not Robert Burns, who popularized the song and turned it into a New Year's tradition. Lombardo first heard "Auld Lang Syne" in his hometown of London, Ontario, where it was sung by Scottish immigrants. When he and his brothers formed the famous dance band, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, the song became one of their standards. Lombardo played the song at midnight at a New Year's eve party at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City in 1929, and a tradition was born. After that, Lombardo's version of the song was played every New Year's eve from the 1930s until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. In the first years it was broadcast on radio, and then on television. The song became such a New Year's tradition that "Life magazine wrote that if Lombardo failed to play 'Auld Lang Syne,' the American public would not believe that the new year had really arrived." [4]
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