The Scoop October 2016 | Page 27

Sources:

http://goitaly.about.com/od/festivalsandevents/a/newyears.htm

http://www.sandiegored.com/noticias/32507/New-Year-s-Eve-and-The-12-Grapes-A-Spanish-Tradition-Brought-to-Mexico/

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/new-year-eve

http://muza-chan.net/japan/index.php/blog/new-year-in-japan-108

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

http://www.albany.edu/news/11792.php

Of course, these aren’t all the New Year celebrations in the world. However, it’s important to realize that while people observe it in a variety of diverse, unique ways, we are all linked by the common thread of celebrating each new year and the new opportunities it offers us.

Indian Christmas/New Year

Diwali is the Hindu festival of light. It is one of India’s biggest celebrations. Like Chinese New Year, Diwali is not held on a specific Gregorian calendar date. Instead, it is held on the night of the new moon in the month Kartika in the Hindu calendar Vikram Samvat. During Diwali, the goal is to light up the dark, moonless night as much as possible. Most commonly, people light small clay oil lamps call diyas. In more modern or less fire-friendly areas, people hang up strings of Christmas lights instead.

Picture from "Asheville, New Years, and the Snowpocalypse" by carolinetakespictures