How is New Year’s Day celebrated around the world? Here’s a fun trivia game that will help you find out! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
1. Ecuador has a unique New Year’s Eve tradition: the burning of “old years” in public places. What are they? Bonfires; old clothes; newspapers and magazines from the previous year; effigies representing people and events from the previous year.
2. Why do the Chinese celebrate the New Year by setting off firecrackers? To commemorate departed family members; to encourage good luck in the coming year; to scare away evil spirits; all of the above.
3. In many places, the coming of the new year is celebrated by singing the traditional Scottish song, “Auld Lang Syne.” What does “auld lang syne” mean? New Year’s Day; until we meet again; sweet memories; old long ago.
4. What is the Jewish New Year called? Hanukkah; Yom Kippur; Rosh Hashanah; Bar Mitzvah.
5. In the Jewish New Year celebration, what is eaten to symbolize a sweet new year? Apples and honey; chocolate; fruit cake; honey cake.
6. In Italy, what do people do on New Year’s Day to bring good luck in the coming year? Go to mass; wear red underwear; eat black-eyed peas; all of the above.
7. To ring in the New Year in Spain, it is traditional to do what on each chime of the clock? Eat a grape; take a sip of wine; clap your hands; light a candle.
8. What determines the date of the Chinese New Year? The first full moon after the winter solstice; the second new moon after the winter solstice; the Friday after the first full moon after the winter solstice; none of the above.
9. How is the new year festival of Songkran celebrated in Thailand? Visiting family; parading statues of Buddha; throwing water at passers-by; all of the above.
10. Under which of the following calendars is New Year’s Day observed on January 1? Christian; Roman; Julian; Gregorian.
ANSWERS: 1. The burning of effigies representing people and events from the previous year. 2. During the New Year celebrations, the Chinese light firecrackers to scare away evil spirits and misfortune. 3. “Auld lang syne” means “old long ago.” 4. The Jewish New Year celebration is known as Rosh Hashanah. 5. Apples and honey. 6. In Italy, they have a tradition of wearing red underwear and eating lentils and sausages on New Year’s Day to encourage good luck in the coming year. 7. About 100 years ago, when farmers had a bumper crop of grapes, the Spanish began a tradition of eating 12 grapes at the 12 strokes of midnight. Each grape eaten correctly is supposed to bring a month’s worth of good luck. 8. The Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. The celebration lasts 15 days. 9. the Thai celebration of Songkran is a time when people visit their families and bring out statues of Buddha from the temples, but it is best known for the tradition of throwing water. The water is to wash away bad luck. 10. The Gregorian calendar.