A new beginning?

By: A. Hemnani

New years! What comes to your mind when you hear those words? Fireworks, the beach, partying...? Every culture has a different idea for how new year should be celebrated, but nonetheless they celebrate it. It can be on January 1st or November 12th, but both these dates signify the same thing to each culture. New years is an ending of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. It is when someone can truly reflect on the past year and set their goals for the future. 
Traditionally white is worn during new years since it is a very religious colour that signifies purity and innocence, white is a colour that truly represents a 'new beginning'. However, it is not the only colour used and linked with new year.  
The Chinese New Year is commonly associated with the colour red since it is believed to bring overall good luck. In the Asian lunar new Year red is believed to "scare off a hungry beast that rumoured to threaten villages every New Year." 
Gold and silver, the colours of the fireworks, these two powerful colours are believed to bring new opportunities and bring hope into the new year. Green is not a colour often associated with the beginning of a new chapter, but its majestic glow is said to spread happiness and good health, being surrounded by the colour green simulates being surrounded by nature.  
On new years the tones of shiny purple burst loudly in the sky spreading prosperity and wealth all around. The various tones of blue are believed to bring in peace and serenity into the new beginning.  
Apart from the different colours connected to these festive celebrations each culture has a different way to celebrate this universal event. For example, in Spain the tradition is to eat 12 grapes at midnight, it represents good luck for the 12 months of the year.  
Colombia has a peculiar way to celebrate their new years, they empty a suitcase and walk around the block with it, to manifest a lot of travelling during the New Year. In Denmark the tradition is to rid the year of the bad spirits by banishing plates and glasses onto friends and family's doors. They also stand on chairs and jump off them together at midnight to “leap” into January in hopes of good luck. In Greece ,as a symbol of rebirth in the New Year, an onion is hung at the door of each house.  
Well, you have seen how some of the cultures celebrate their new year, now aren't you thankful to be in Brazil where the traditions involve jumping waves and not throwing things at doors? Do you want to implement any of these traditions into your new year celebrations this year?  
Within all of these celebrations, sometimes people forget to reflect on their year and set goals for the future. Remember that the main objective of New Year's is to turn the page and start another one, you can't change what is written on one page, but you can determine what will be written on the other...
 
Sources:
https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/g34962197/new-years-colors/ 
https://worldstrides.com/blog/2016/12/9-new-years-traditions-cultures-around-world/ 
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