Arts and Enterntainment Hub

The Origin of New Year Celebration

After the holidays, or as some people call the trinity of holidays kicking off with Halloween and ending with Christmas, there is still one holiday left for the year that most people celebrate quite joyously. Though it technically is not a holiday, it is the eve of a brand new year and people like to celebrate it with friends and loved ones. New Years Eve is one of the biggest “party” nights of the year. People look forward to these festivities all year long and in some cases plan for it for months and months. Hosting the right party is critical. You want your friends to have a good time and you want your party to be remembered for the rest of the upcoming year. Even if you elect not to host your own party, finding the right party spot can be quite a task. There is a lot more to this night than what you may know. This article can walk you through the history of this famous partying celebration and it can also help you decide on how to celebrate the New Year in style.

What are the origins of New Years Eve celebrations?

The origins of New Years Eve celebrations seem to be conflicted. The reason it is celebrated is because it marks the last day of the Gregorian calendar. Some historians believe that the night’s celebrations go back to a pagan festivity called “Saturnalia” which can trace its roots back to Ancient Rome. The practice was generally one of “letting everything go” which for many meant abandoning their strict roles and behaviors they held throughout the year. It became a party in which people were free to do as they wished. As time progressed many of these parties ended in violence as party goers would become more intoxicated. For this reason many cities and countries started hosting what they termed “First Night” which was a solemn way to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Another tradition came called Watch Night. Though many in the African American community attribute this belief to their own culture it actually evolved from a Christian group called the Moravians which was held in Herrnhut, Saxony in 1732. But in 1862 New Year’s Eve became celebrated by African Americans with new found vigor because as of January 1, 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation became in effect. So for many former slaves NYE became known as “Freedom’s Eve.”

If I do not want to host a party, where can I go to celebrate?

If you are not up to hosting a party you may want to check with your family and friends to see if they are having a New Years Eve party. If they are not then there are countless other places to attend the festivities. Most cities have bars that have specials that night. You may want to consider getting a room for the night just to ensure that you do not drink and drive. If you want to go to a party but do not want drinking to be involved then you may want to consider a religious event. Many churches hold their own versions of NYE parties that involve the whole family.

Where are some big cities that have huge New Years Eve parties?

Every major city has a huge New Years Eve celebration but there are some that stand out from the crowd. New York City has the famous ball dropping at Time’s Square. Seattle, Washington lights up the Space Needle and shoots off fireworks. London has a huge fireworks display as does Tokyo and Orlando, Florida. Chances are good that there are some huge events in your own area. A simple Google search will reveal parties and events in your area of the world.

I have young children and I want them to be able to enjoy New Years Eve, how can I do that?

Parents love to celebrate New Years Eve with their children. And children are excited to be able to take part in the festivities. If you have school age children you might want to host a party for your children and their friends. They will love having chips, dip and sodas to celebrate with. And for a special touch you can get sparkling white grape juice to simulate the champagne toast at midnight. Kids will get a kick out of playing board games and watching the different live televised programs from all across the world. If your children are really young you can turn the clocks forward several hours so that they do not miss the opportunity to count down to midnight. Sure, you know it really isn’t midnight but they won’t and they will love the opportunity to blow the noisemakers and celebrate with you.

If you need ideas for your New Years Eve celebration whether or not you are hosting a party or simply looking to attend one in the nearby area…turn to the internet. The internet has tons of websites that are devoted to different events all across the world. You can get cheap party ideas, food ideas and even learn how to create a new and interesting cocktail to ring in the New Year.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 12:34 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.