Every first of January in Colombia the arrival of a New Year is celebrated, so much so that in some regions of the country, minutes before that day begins, people fill their pants pockets with 12 grapes that represent the months of the year, they kneel under a table or have a family dinner, thanks to the belief that “this will help them improve their sentimental, financial and economic situation.”
However, there are countries that do not celebrate the arrival of the New Year every first of January, but on other days. But why? and which are they?
Religious, political and economic factors strongly influence the culture of a country. Therefore, within the list of those who do not celebrate the arrival of the New Year on the night of December 31 are:
(Keep reading: Recipes that would help fight against climate change).
China
Unlike the western calendar, which is based on the position of the Sun, the eastern one has a great influence from the Lunisolar, which is why the date indicates both the phase of the Moon and the time of the solar year.. For this reason, the celebration of the New Year or the Spring Festival, as the Chinese call it, is not celebrated on the first of January, but on the 22nd of that same month.
The Chinese lunar calendar arose in 2,637 BC, when the first cycle of the zodiac was introduced. Each cycle lasts 60 years. Currently, the eastern country is in cycle 78 that began in February 1984 and will end in that same month, but in 2044.
animals and new year
According to a legend, before Buddha died, he summoned a rat, an ox, a dog, a tiger, a hare, a dragon, a snake, a horse, a goat, a monkey, a rooster, and a wild boar, so that every 12 years one of them will represent the lunar cycle.
For example, in 2015 the animal was the goat; in 2016, the monkey; the 2017, the rooster; 2018, the dog; in 2019, the court; in 2019, the rat; in 2021, the ox; in 2022, the tiger; in 2023 it will be the rabbit; in 2024, the dragon; in 2025, the snake and in 2026, the horse.
The celebration of the beginning of the year in China lasts for 15 days until the middle of the first month. At that time, people take the opportunity to visit their family and friends, in addition to seeing the shows they put on in the streets with fireworks and music.
In fact, the traditions that they have before the arrival of the new year are: completely cleaning the house in order to get rid of the bad luck accumulated from the previous year, decorating their home with flags and red emblems with the phrase ‘good fortune for the new Year’, give red envelopes with money to children, among others.
(Also read: Prayer to the Lord of Good Hope to start the new year).
Saudi Arabia
Every July 22, when the crescent Moon appears, Muslims celebrate the arrival of the new Islamic year, which they also call ‘Hijri’. For them, that date is sacred and represents a moment of mourning and reflection.
Although most Islamic countries follow the Muslim lunar or ‘Hijri calendar, some are based on the Solar Gregorian.
However, these two calendars are very different, as the Muslim one has only 355 days, while the Gregorian calendar has 365 and some leap years.
To celebrate this celebration, Muslims make commemorative meals such as saffron rice, which is accompanied by doodh ka sharbat, a kind of milk drink, since These foods symbolize the thirst suffered by the King of Jordan, al-Hussein, during one of his battles. In fact, many pray for his soul.explained the portal ‘National Geographic’.
While most countries around the world celebrate this day with fireworks and flashy parties, Muslims see it as a time of reflection and resistance for all that their people have experienced.
However, last October 2020, the Supreme Council of Ulema, a state entity in charge of approving or disapproving laws in Saudi Arabia, rejected the celebration of the new year on January 1, since the monarchy of the place is governed by by the lunar calendar and not the Gregorian.
(Also: Happy New Year! Phrases to start 2023 with hope and good energy).
They also rejected the sale of roses for Valentine’s Day, which is February 14, reported the portal ‘Map News News’.
India
The reasons why this country does not celebrate the new year every first of January are purely cultural. They celebrate it from October 21 to November 19 with different activities, depending on the region.
They call this celebration ‘New Diwali’ and, in it, a festival of light and color is held, in which people decorate their houses with candles, give away sweets and buy new clothes.
The first five days have a different meaning in ‘New Diwali’, as the first one called ‘Dhanteras’ represents wealth, abundance and beauty, paying homage to ‘Lakshmi’, the goddess of fortune.
For this, the Orientals clean their houses and buy high-value objects. In the second ‘Naraka Chaturdashi’, people bathe early in the morning and get rid of their sins and impurities through prayer. The third and fourth, called ‘Lakshmi Puja’, the whole family gives each other gifts and prays to their gods. Finally, in the ‘Govardhan Puja’ a tribute is paid to ‘Krishna’, the goddess of love and compassion, in addition to launching firecrackers and fireworks, as reported by the specialized Asian travel portal ‘Directia Travel’.
Iran
This country celebrates the new year or ‘Nouruz’ every March 20, since the solar calendar begins with the spring equinox. All this, because more than 3,000 years ago, Zoroastrianism, a religion practiced in ancient Persia, considered the arrival of this season as ‘The victory of light over darkness’, the ‘National Geographic’ portal reported.
(You may be interested in: Christmas omens: which are the most popular in Colombia and what are they made for).
On this date, Iranians place plant seeds or eggs at the door of their houses, since the spring festival focuses on fertility and new life, in addition to decorating their table with seven objects, which they call ‘Haft -without’. Among them are foods such as oats, wheat, apple, vinegar, garlic and the Koran, among others.
In fact, In 2009, UNESCO, a cultural organization of the United Nations, considered this festival as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, given that it promotes the “values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families, as well as reconciliation and the neighborhood”.
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LAURA ALMECIGA AVELLANEDA
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