1. What is the Jewish New Year called? Hanukkah; Yom Kippur; Rosh Hashanah; Bar Mitzvah.
2. How is the new year festival of Songkran celebrated in Thailand? By visiting family; parading statues of Buddha; throwing water at passers-by; all of the above.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Under which of the following calendars is New Year’s Day observed on January 1? Christian; Roman; Julian; Gregorian.
7. 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; Till we meet again; Sweet memories; Old long ago.
8. 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.
9. In the United States, the coming of the New Year is celebrated by the lowering of a gigantic crystal ball. Where does this event take place? Central Park; Times Square; Yankee Stadium; The Statue of Liberty.
10. 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.
11. In the Jewish New Year celebration: what is eaten to symbolize a sweet new year? Apples and honey; chocolate; fruit cake; honey cake.
ANSWERS:
1. The Jewish New Year celebration is known as Rosh Hashanah.
2. Also known as the “Water Festival,” 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 said to wash away bad luck.
3. Eat a grape.
4. 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.
5. The Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. The celebrations last 15 days.
6. Gregorian.
7. “Auld lang syne” means “old long ago”.
8. To scare away evil spirits.
9. Times Square.
10. Effigies representing people and events from the previous year.
11. Apples and honey. After the Rosh Hashanah prayer service, Jews eat a festive holiday meal. Special Rosh Hashanah food customs have developed over the centuries. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, a piece of apple is dipped into honey in the hopes of a sweet year.