good ideas New Year, Old Traditions

by Katie Giffin

New Year, Old Traditions

Celebrating New Year’s traditions across cultures

A glass of champagne, close friends and family, the ball drop in Times Square and a kiss at midnight: New Year’s is a time for celebrating and resetting. In the U.S., ringing in the New Year looks different from culture to culture. Here are some of the New Year’s celebrations happening across cultures in Dublin.

Lunar New Year Where: China When: Jan. 22, the Year of the Water Rabbit

Beginning with the first new moon of the year, this 15-day festival in China – also called the spring festival – celebrates new beginnings and lasts until the next full moon. Those who celebrate enjoy traditional dishes such as glazed duck for happiness, uncut noodles for longevity, and dumplings and spring rolls for wealth. This time is used to clean house and get fresh haircuts and new outfits in order to invite good luck. Money is gifted in red envelopes to symbolize the transfer of wealth across generations, and time is dedicated to honoring the dead. The celebrations close with the Lantern Festival, which symbolizes letting go of the previous year and beginning of the next. The Lunar New Year is also celebrated in Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Mahaˉyaˉna New Year Where: Northeast Asia When: Jan. 7

Mahaˉyaˉna, which means “great vehicle” in English, is largely celebrated in China, Japan, Tibet, Taiwan, Mongolia and Korea. While specific celebration dates differ from country to country based on customs and traditions, Mahaˉyaˉna is celebrated by visiting temples, singing to the deities, lighting candles for luck and happiness, and spending time in prayer to honor the gods. Feasting also plays a key role, with fireworks at midnight to announce the arrival of a new year.

Ugadi Where: India and Mauritius When: March 22

Translating to “beginning of a new age,” Ugadi celebrates the creation of the universe and humankind. Because it takes place in March, Ugadi is sometimes viewed as a spring festival that celebrates the new life that comes with the changing of the seasons. A key element for this celebration is cleansing rituals; coconut oil is used to cleanse the head, and houses are cleaned for the start of the new season. Ugadi begins Chaitra Navratri, a nine-day festival celebrating the goddess Durga. This is a time for self-reflection, connecting to a global perspective and reconnecting with loved ones.

Nowruz Where: Central Asia When: March 20

Rooted in the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism, Nowruz celebrates rebirth and renewal and takes place on the spring equinox. The celebration, which lasts 13 days, includes visiting with older adults to pay respect, spreading “Haft Seen” (a symbolic collection of items meant to bring prosperity), dancing, singing, sport competitions and the preparation of sumalak, a pudding that takes 24 hours to prepare. These celebrations culminate with a picnic on the last day of the festival. Nowruz is celebrated in countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey and Syria.

Katie Giffin is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.