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NEW
YEAR'S DAY
Bahasa
Indonesia
January 1
The first day of the calendar year.
THE DATE OF NEW YEAR:
The early Roman calendar used March 1 as NY's-Day.
Later the ancient Romans made Jan. 1 the beginning of the
year. During the Middle Ages, most European countries
used March 25, a Christian holiday called Annunciation
Day, to start the year.
By 1600, many western nations had adopted a revised calendar
called the Gregorian calendar. It, the one
used today, restored Jan. 1 as NY's-Day. Great
Britain and its colonies in America adopted it in 1752.
Many people celebrate the NY on dates established
by their religion. The Jewish NY, Rosh Hashanah,
is observed during Sept. or early Oct. Hindus celebrate
it on various dates. Muslims use a calendar that has 354
days in most years. As a result, their NY falls on
different dates from year to year on the Gregorian
calendar.
HISTORY AND OLD
OBSERVANCE:
Many ancient peoples started the year at harvest time.
They performed rituals to do away with the past and
purify themselves for the NY. The
ancient Persians gave NY's gifts of eggs, which
symbolized productiveness.
The ancient Romans gave each other NY's gifts of
branches from sacred trees. In later years they gave
gold-covered nuts or coins imprinted with pictures of Janus,
the god of gates, doors and beginnings. January was named
after this 2 faced god /1 face looking forward 1 looking
backward). The Romans also brought gifts to the emperor.
The emperors eventually began to demand such gifts.
The Celtic priests gave the people branches of mistletoe,
which was considered sacred. The Celts took over many NY's
customs from the Romans, who invaded the British Isles in
AD 43.
In AD 567 the Christian church outlawed this custom and certain
other pagan NY's practices.
By the 1200's, English rulers had received the Roman custom of
asking their subjects for NY's presents. English
husbands gave their wives money to buy pins. This custom
disappeared in the 1800's, however the term pin money
still means small amounts of spending money. Many
American colonists in New England celebrated the NY
by firing guns into the air and shouting, others attended
church services or held open house.
MODERN
OBSERVANCE:
Although it is also a Christian holy day, it has a
long secular tradition which makes it a federal public
holiday for all Americans.In the US, most of the
celebration takes place the night before, on Dec. 31,
when people go to parties or watch TV-programs from Times
Square in the heart of New York City, where the
crowds gather. A large clock displays the countdown in
time. At midnight bells ring, sirens sound, firecrackers
explode and people shout Happy New Year! and sing Auld
Lang Syne.
On Jan. 1 Americans visit friends and relatives or watch TV: The
Tournament of Roses parade preceding the Rose Bowl
football game in California; or the Orange Bowl in
Florida; or the Cotton Bowl in Texas; or the Sugar
Bowl in Louisiana.
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