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New Year

One of the oldest celebrations all over the world, New Year is a time for new hopes, festivities, indulgences and think about the future and forget the past. All the countries had their own New Year festivals based on the calendars, whether lunar or solar, and most of them were based on agricultural or astronomical influences. The Romans assigned January 1st as the New Year date arbitrarily. The date kept changing for centuries until 1st of January was finally accepted as the common date for celebration. However, the New Year Eve does not fall at the same time in the entire world and depends on the time zone of the country. In 2005, Kiritimati on the Christmas Islands would be the first place to celebrate the New year Eve, closely followed by Chatham Island outside of New Zealand .

New Year is the time to indulge in wild parties and wash oneself with the booze, to dance all through the night, enjoy fireworks, take part in parades and follow the regional traditions and customs. It is the time to visit families and friends and exchange gifts. Music and drumbeats and grand feasts are the order of the day. New Year also marks the end of the Christmas holiday season that starts with the birth of Jesus Christ on the Christmas Eve. New Year sends out the message of love and unity for all and encourages one to forget the past and look at the future, to start life afresh, wash off the guilt and renew all hopes and dreams. It is also the time to thank God for his infinite blessings and pray to him to a prosperous and happy New Year.