By Karen Rice • Official Kids Mag
How did you ring in 2019 on January 1st? Did you stay
up until midnight? Did you eat a special meal? Did you watch
the ball drop on TV in New York's Times Square? People all
around the world celebrate the start of a new year with many
different traditions.
1907 was the first year that New York City began the
tradition of lowering a ball from a flagpole in Times Square to
countdown the final minutes of the old year and ring in the
new. The first New Year's Eve ball was made of iron and wood
and weighed 700 pounds. It was lit with one hundred 25-watt
light bulbs. Every year since, the tradition has been carried on,
except for during World War II in 1942 and 1943. The ball has
been replaced seven times and now is covered with Waterford
crystals and LED lights.
All around the world there are different New Year's
traditions. In the southern United States, some people eat
blackeyed peas and turnip greens to bring luck and money
in the new year. The greens stand for dollars and the peas
represent coins. In Australia it is summer on New Year's Day,
so people there celebrate with outdoor activities like picnics
and surf parties. In Spain, people believe eating grapes is lucky,
so they eat 12 grapes, one for each chime of the clock at
midnight.
Some countries begin the new year on a day other than
January 1. The Chinese celebrate the new year later January
or February, the date changes every year. It's the most
important holiday for Chinese people and it's celebrated by
more than 20% of the world. This year, Chinese New Year
officially begins on February 5, 2019. It's tradition to set off
fireworks to celebrate, and to scare off monsters and bad
luck. Showering isn't allowed on Chinese New Year's Day, and
sweeping or throwing out garbage isn't recommended before
the 5th day of the new year, so
that good luck isn't washed or
thrown away. Every new year in
the Chinese calendar is named
for one of 12 animals of the
Chinese zodiac. This year,
2019, is the year of the pig. It
represents luck, good fortune
and wealth.
KIDS AROUND THE
WORLD CELEBRATE A
BRAND NEW YEAR!
Off icialKidsMag.com • JANUARY 2019 • 35
