Over the past 24 hours or so, people around the world rang in the New Year with parties and food, friends and family. But this is just one New Year's celebration in our world, primarily a Western tradition. Other cultures have different traditions.
The Church celebrated the new year on the first Sunday of Advent. The traditions of Advent call us to recall our activities of the past year; to reflect on the present, especially Christ's presence in our lives; and to prepare for the future, Christ's coming.
The Jewish new year begins on Rosh Hashanah, at the beginning of their month, Tishri, which falls at the end of September of the Julian calendar. Rosh Hashanah is a time for recollection, signalled by the blowing of the shofar (ram's horn.)
The Muslim new year, called Al-Hijra, begins with the month of Muharram, which is in May on the Julian calendar. Al-Hijra commemorates the date of the Prophet's move from Makkah to Medina; hijra means "migration."
Southern Buddhists (in Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, and parts of India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh) spend three days of cleaning homes, washing statues of Buddha, and gathering in the streets as they celebrate a time of renewal and return after the spring equinox.
The Chinese New Year, a Taoist tradition, begins on the first day of the first lunar month, usually near the beginning of February. At the new year, Taoists symbolically sweep away misfortune and mistakes from the past. They hang protective charms in their homes, set off firecrackers to frighten away evil spirits, dine on festive foods, and exchange gifts as they prepare to welcome the good fortune of the new year.
Each culture celebrates their new year in different ways, but it seems that in any culture, the new year is a time to recollect, to recall the events of the past year, to renew spirits, and to prepare for new opportunities. New Year's celebrations remind us of forgiveness and reconciliation and anticipating new possibilities.
For more on New Year's celebrations and other festivals around the world, check out these resources:
- Festivals of the World. Breuilly, E. O'Brien, J. Palmer, M. eds. (New York: Checkmark Books, 2002) [Much of what I wrote was found in this book.)
- http://www.fathertimes.net/traditions.htm
- http://www.novareinna.com/festive/atw.html
What is your family's favorite New Year's tradition?
