Diwali
India
Aņos Viejos Ecuador
Las Posadas Mexico
Om Touk Cambodia
Winter Solstice
Japanese New Year
Kwanzaa
Vietnamese New Year
Chinese New year
Ramadan
Hanukkah
At New Year, Ecuadorians, especially children and teenagers, make the famous "Aņos Viejos" (Old Years) that are giant puppets filled with old clothes, wood shavings and fire works that are burned on December 31 at midnight because they represent all the bad things occurred during the year. That explains why it is common to see puppets which look like Ecuadorian politicians.
Families get together in the afternoon or at night, visiting different neighborhoods in order to see which one is the best to win the price of the best "Aņo Viejo". Children wear costumes and people usually give them coins or candies. After such a fun walk, families wait until the radio announces at midnight the New Year. People give each other a "new year's hug", burn the "Aņo Viejo", watch fire works and then have dinner. From:< http://www.ecuadorline.com/pictureofthemonth15.htm>
In South America "Ano Viejo" is celebrated by creating a fake person or dummy. The scarecrow looking person will be completely dressed and stuffed with old newspapers and firecrackers. The dummy is usually placed outside the home. He represents something that happened during the last year. At midnight each family lights the dummy on fire. As the dummy goes up in smoke the firecrackers also go off to add to the festivities. The old year is forgotten and the new year begins.
Our family decided to use this idea in our own American celebrations. We found that we did not always have old clothing we wanted to burn so instead we burn our old Christmas tree at midnight!
By Rachel Webb accessed at < http://slmseniors.com/library/newyear.htm>
http://www.tourismcambodia.com/Highlights/events/water_festival.htm
http://www.cambodianmasters.org/masters/journey2000/pages/report4_waterfest.htm
http://cambodia.worldvision.org.nz/tw_cambodia_country_geography.asp
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/WinterSolstice.html
http://www.familyeducation.com/topic/front/0,1156,1-4205,00.html
People in Japan spend weeks planning for their New Year celebrations. They buy special food and make decorations for their front door out of pine branches, bamboo and ropes that are believed to bring health and long life. Fan ropes are also hung over the doors and roofs with seaweed or ferns to bring them happiness and good luck. Children receive "otoshidamas" which are small gifts with money inside. They also send New Year cards to their friends and hold forgetting-year parties to say goodbye to the old year. They also forgive friends and family for any misunderstandings and disagreements they may have had that year so they can make a clean start of the new year. On December 31st bells are rung 108 times to chase away 108 troubles. The people all laugh after the gongs because laughter will drive away the bad spirits. With all the bad spirits gone and troubles and enemies forgiven, they enjoy a day of celebration.
By Rachel Webb accessed at < http://slmseniors.com/library/newyear.htm>
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