How did you celebrate the New Year? Did you watch the ball drop in New York City? At midnight did you then clink glasses with friends or family? Did you also share a kiss with your significant other and sing "Auld Lang Syne?" Did you celebrate at a party, stay at home or have a party in your home? I bet it's possible you did a version of this just like me. I've been doing the same thing for as long as I can remember. I've started to wonder if celebrating the new year is different in other parts of the world. I discovered in some places, it is very different.
Naples, Italy
The New Year is celebrated in various ways all over Italy. I think it would be fun to celebrate it in Naples, Italy. The one thing that sets them a part from others is red underwear. The people in Naples believe if you wear red underwear to ring in the new year, it will bring you luck. I wonder if red boxer shorts with a picture of Santa and reindeer on them would qualify to have good luck. If so, I'm covered. There's another Naples tradition I believe is pretty cool. People throw things out of a window at midnight. This is to throw out the old and accept the new year. I think this would be some real good fun. You could get rid of some things around the house you really didn't like and claim you're just celebrating the new year.
“What is my picture of dogs playing poker doing on the lawn?”
“I'm celebrating a Naples New Year.”
“Wait a minute. Is that the DVD my parents made for you on how to be a good spouse next to the picture?
“Hey, we're celebrating New Years Napes, Italian style this year.”
“Next year we may celebrate clobber-your-husband New Years American style.”
“I guess all traditions have to start somehow.”
Buddhist New Year
I'm not real familiar with Buddhists, but they seem to know how to celebrate a new year. It seems their new year celebrations consists of people squirting water on anybody they meet in the street. This person could be a friend or even a stranger. I think the water squirting could be a lot of fun. It would be one long water battle all night. Roaming bands of people armed with super soakers would rule the evening.
“Squirting water on people for new years is great. I've got a super soaker.”
“I think it will be lots of fun. I've got my garden hose ready.”
“Look out for George.”
“Why?”
“He celebrating it with the hose from a fire truck.”
“Cool.”
Danish New Year
I'm sure that there are not too many dishes in Danish homes that are that old. This is because they have a really great way to celebrate New Years. All year in Denmark people save up old dishes. They then go and throw them at their friends homes on New Years Eve. The more the broken dishes a person has at the front of their house, the more popular they are in the neighborhood. This would be fun.
“I think you're the best neighbor in the world.”
Crash.
“Thanks for never returning the lawn equipment you borrow.”
Crash.
Suddenly your neighbor shows up and is smiling.
“I was just showing you how much I like you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I just rented a dump truck and filled it with old dishes. I showed that I like you so much you may not be able to get in your front door for awhile. There are so many broken dishes of love at your house, you may not be able to see you your second story window for awhile either."
“Just wait until I show you how much I like you next year. Our summer vacation is going to be at a dish manufacturer.”
“Happy New Year.”
Ecuador
New year celebrations in Ecuador are designed for the pyromaniac in everyone. Thousands of life-size dummies are made for the celebration. They represent the misfortunes from the past. At midnight, thousands of people all over the country gather outside their homes to stand together and burn these effigies of misfortune.
“I sure do love burning these life-size effigies.”
“Why does that one look like your mother-in-law?”
“Why does that one look like your boss?”
“Why does that one look like your neighbor?”
“I want to know why that one looks like me.”
“Happy New Year.”
Life in our world is lived in many different ways. It's not possible to know what the new year will bring any of us. I suppose when all is said and done, being able to celebrate the new year is a good enough reason to celebrate.
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