New Years Day
New Year’s Day is the first day of the New Year, and a time to focus on what will be ahead of you. Many people hope that it will be a better year than the last one if times have been tough. Others will look back on the year before and have fond memories of things they have accomplished and people they have met.
Of course some people get New Year’s Day off to a terrible start. Their heads are pounding and they don’t feel too good due to all of the drinking they did the night before. A few hours of peace and quite as well as some rest can help take care of this though. There may be plenty of cleaning to do too if you hosted a party the night before. If you have classy friends they will show up later in the day and help you to take care of it.
Since many people engage in New Year’s resolutions, this is a day for them to implement what they are going to change. Many of them are very motivated in the beginning and have to work to keep up the momentum. The resolution can be hard to keep though if it is something like no smoking or not each junk food. Changing those types of behaviors take plenty of time.
Since most businesses are closed on New Year’s Day, it can also be a day to rest. There are parades on TV and even plenty of football bowl games for the college teams to enjoy. This can be a day to relax and take care of yourself as you enter a new year. If your resolution was to pamper yourself more then use that day to do it.
Things are generally quite on New Year’s Day though as people use the day to kick back and enjoy the day. Some people use the day to take down Christmas decorations, clean up the house, and get back to a normal routine. The holidays are so hectic that getting to this point can really mean things are wrapped up for another year. It won’t be long though before it all rolls around again.
Chinese New Year
The Chinese has a more elaborate celebration for the New Year than any other country. There celebrations last a full 15 days including food, fun, and the lantern parade that takes place on the last day. The New Year starts on the first day of a new moon and ends on the 15th day when the moon is full. This is a huge time for celebrating in the Chinese culture. Families engage in various activities together at home and in their community.
There are many rituals and celebrations that take place during the Chinese New Year. One of the ones with the most honor is actually celebrated on New Years Eve. This is to honor those that have passed on from the family but have not been forgotten. During an elaborate dinner on New Years Eve, the spirits of these family members are invited to join the family. This is a tradition that unites the family that is living while honoring those that have passed on but contributed to the greatness of that family.
On the first day of the celebration the gods are welcomed from both Heaven an Earth. On the second day the dogs are honored and well cared for. For the next two days the men that have married into families are to honor their in laws. This can be with gifts, food, completing tasks for them, or any other symbolizations that show love and respect towards them.
Even though the Chinese New Year is all about people gathering, that doesn’t happen on the 5th day. Everyone stays at their own home and spends time with their immediate family. It is believed bad luck will follow any one that visits another family as well as that family on this particular day. The 6th day is for freely visiting each other though as well as going to temples to worship.
The 7th day of the Chinese New Year is to celebrate the farmers and the produce they offer for people. Family feasts, reunions, and gatherings fill up the 8th day. Offerings have to be made to the Emperor Jade the next day. The 10th through the 13th days are for families to be together and to continue celebrating.
As the Chinese New Year comes to an end, people get ready for the lantern festival. Many families work for hours to make beautiful lanterns that they will carry in the parade to honor their families, their ancestors that have passed on, and their culture.
New Year
Ringing in the New Year with a party is a great way to do it. There are so many options that you can customize the party to fit what you like. You may want a small party with your family and a few close friends. This could be a party that is family oriented with games, food, karaoke, and many other types of events. Should you decide to make it a party with alcohol served you should avoid having children around. You also need to collect keys from guests so people aren’t drinking and driving after your party.
The amount of work it is to host a New Year’s party may not be what you are looking for. You may want to go to a party somewhere else so you can just enjoy it. There are often dances and other events going on at clubs, bars, and even halls that people rent. The cover charge for a New Year’s part is quite affordable when you consider all you get.
Look for package deals if you need to drive a distance to get to such parties. This way you can get accommodations in the area. Even if you aren’t drinking, it is very risky to drive that evening due to other people on the road that may have been. New Year’s parties often last very late too because the celebration doesn’t climax until after midnight.
There are some places that people flock to for New Year’s parties. This is the only night of the year that the Las Vegas strip is completely closed to traffic. It is a street party like you have never seen before. People come and stay here for several days to bring in the New Year with style.
New York is a popular place as well. People gather in town square for an evening of fun. Millions of people watch the ball drop live on TV but being there in the middle of it all taking place is a completely different experience. The type of party that appeals to you will influence where you end up going. What ever you do, try to cut loose and have some fan at the New Years party. It only comes around once a year so have a great time with it.
New Year
New Year’s Eve is a holiday that many people celebrate. Since New Year’s Day is often a day off work, there is plenty of time to celebrate. The tradition is to ring in the New Year at midnight. People find plenty of activities for entertaining themselves for the evening. There are elaborate balls hosted that people attend as well as private parties.
You can choose to go out with friends and dance the night away. Others prefer to stay at home and watch the ball drop in New York at midnight. Some families gather to eat, play games, and hang out. If you want to travel go to some place known for fun on New Year’s Eve such as Las Vegas, New York, or California.
Since so many people go out for New Year’s Eve, you need to make your reservations early. Most places have a limit on how many people they can accommodate for the evening. Make sure you are aware of the dress code for the place you place to send the evening. You don’t want to be turned away or feel out of place because you aren’t dress appropriately.
If you have children, there is also the issue of securing a good sitter. They too will go fast for New Year’s Eve. Make sure you get someone reliable and that you pay them well. Such services are in demand that night so make sure you offer them something substantial to entice them to help you out.
Don’t forget setting up a designated driver for your ride back home. It is never a good idea to drink and drive. You can be sure on this particular night that cops will be out in full force. Getting arrested for drinking and driving definitely isn’t the way to start off your new year. You also need to be aware of other people on the roads that are under the influence.
Many New Year’s Eve parties offer packages that include your transportation. You can even secure a hotel room in the area so you aren’t on the roads. This is a great way to help ensure you have a wonderful time.
New Year
The start of a New Year always brings with it resolutions. Some of them people are able to keep and others they don’t even with the best of intentions. Each person can choose their own New Year’s resolutions but there are some central ones that seem to circulate. Breaking bad habits is often a part of these resolutions. People often vow to stop smoking, stop drinking, to eat a better diet, to get more exercise, and even to lose weight.
Others vow to spend more time with their children, take up a hobby, keep their house cleaner, get organized, or to reduce their debts. All of these are excellent resolutions but you need to make sure you stick to it. Don’t try to make more than one resolution though as you may be setting yourself up for failure.
Too many people give up on their New Year’s resolutions though. They may slip on their diet or smoke a cigarette and think it is all over with. Instead of beating yourself up for these things though you need to just keep on moving forward. Move forward from the incident and find something else to motivate you to keep moving forward. You don’t want to have to make the same resolution again next year.
To help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions, come up with a realistic plan in advance. Focus on what you want to achieve and how you will go about it. Make a list of things you can do instead of engaging in that activity. This way you can pick one of them to get your mind off of the act itself.
Let your friends, family members, and co-workers know what your New Year’s resolutions are. Make sure they understand why the goal is important to you as well. This way they can offer you support and not tempt you to go back to your old habits. For example if you are trying to lose weight your friends shouldn’t show up with a chocolate cake. However, they can come by and ask you to go for a nice walk so the two of you can talk for a while.