From the fire of Nowruz to the stars of Matariki: how does the new year begin?

New Year is considered a universal concept, the date of celebration and related rituals are different from culture to culture. While Iran and some other countries such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkey celebrate the first day of April as the beginning of the new year, many countries of the world, especially European countries, celebrate the new year on the first day of January. The ceremonies and rituals of the New Year celebration in different calendars are different from each other, and we are going to discuss some of the most important ones in the rest of this article.

New Year in different calendars:

Persian New Year; Nowruz

Nowruz is the newest day of the Persian year, which is celebrated not only by Iranians, but also by other communities in the Middle East, Central Asia, etc. Scientifically, the first day of April coincides with the spring equinox and the beginning of the pleasant spring season. This day in the Gregorian calendar falls on one of the 20th or 21st of March depending on the year.

_{Haft Sin table in Nowruz; Photo source: techrasa.com website; Photographer: Unknown}

Welcoming Nowruz starts weeks before with moving the house. In this custom, family members clean the house together. The Haft Sin table is one of the most important parts of Nowruz, whose seven symbolic pillars begin with the letter “S”. During the days of Nowruz, friends and families visit each other and exchange gifts and Eid, with games and other seasonal activities.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is also known as the “Spring Festival” and is celebrated by Chinese communities all over the world, from China to America. This New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar and falls between January 21 and February 20.

_{Dragon dance in the celebration of Chinese New Year; Photo source: Wikimedia; Photographer: Heri nugroho}

One of the 12 beasts of the Chinese calendar, designated for each year, which rotate periodically through the years. Chinese New Year celebrations include exuberant parades, dragon and lion dances, fireworks, and the giving of red envelopes of money (Hongbao), similar to Nowruz feasts, symbolizing luck and blessings.

new year

New Year is celebrated on the first day of January. Some confuse the New Year with Christmas; While these two are not the same and their dates are different. Although January 1st is always considered as the beginning of the Gregorian year, some countries celebrate the New Year on a different day, following the ancient traditions of their culture, despite using the Gregorian calendar.

_{New Year fireworks in Sydney; Photo source: sydneyexpert.com website; Photographer: Unknown}

The New Year celebration in most European and American countries starts at 24:00 on the last day of December. This celebration is accompanied by fireworks and during these days, families and friends also gather around each other and celebrate the New Year with symbolic foods.

Jewish New Year; Rosh Hashanah

“Rosh Hashanah” (Rosh Hashanah) is the Jewish New Year, which is considered one of the most important occasions in the Jewish calendar. This day usually occurs in September or October, and the “High Holy Days” in Judaism are placed after it. On such days, Jewish communities gather to pray for a sweet and fruitful year, asking for forgiveness.

_{Shofar on Rosh Hashanah; Photo source: cbc.ca; Photographer: Unknown}

One of the symbolic traditions on Rosh Hashanah is blowing the shofar; A type of wind instrument that is made from the horns of meat animals such as rams and is used in some Jewish festivals. Family gatherings are celebrated with symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey as a symbol of wishing for a sweet year and pomegranates as a symbol of hope for a year full of good deeds.

Thai New Year; Songkran

“Songkran” (Songkran) is celebrated by Thais in the middle of April. This day is famous for its attractive festival; It is a festival with water sprinkling and group water games, which is a symbol of purity and refinement. Songkran is also a time to pay respect to elders, visit temples and participate in traditional ceremonies.

Thailand; Photo source: agoda.com website; Photographer: Unknown” loading=”lazy”/>

_{Water play in Songkran, Thailand; Photo source: agoda.com website; Photographer: Unknown}

Thais celebrate Songkran with exciting activities such as building small sand pagodas (a type of tower similar to East Asian architecture) in the temple, participating in parades and eating Thai food with other family members. For the people of Thailand, Songkran is an embodiment of renewal and unity.

Indian New Year; Diwali

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an Indian festival celebrated throughout India and other Hindu communities around the world. While Diwali is not an official Hindu New Year, the day symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and a time for spiritual reflection and new beginnings.

_{Lighting candles on Indian Diwali; Photo source: avgtravels.com website; Photographer: Unknown}

On Diwali, houses are decorated with lights and candles and on the streets you can see Rangoli designs drawn on the ground with colored powders. On this day, families give each other gifts, serve delicious sweets and enjoy fireworks.

Islamic New Year

Muslims around the world celebrate the Islamic New Year, also known as the Hijri New Year. This day is the beginning of the Hijri calendar and Muharram is in its first month. The starting time of the lunar year varies in the Hijri and Gregorian calendars, and no specific time can be mentioned for it.

_{Ashura ceremony in Basra; Photo source: newsweek.com website; Photographer: Unknown}

In the month of Muharram, Muslims visit mosques and shrines and read the Quran. These days, which coincide with the days of Taswa and Ashura for Shiites, have a different mood and are celebrated with numerous ceremonies throughout Iran and other Muslim countries.

Maori New Year; Matariki

The people of New Zealand and the Maori people (aborigines of New Zealand) celebrate “Matariki”. The exact date of this day changes every year and usually falls in late May or early June. Matariki is the name that the Maori gave to the Parvin cluster; The constellation that is also known as Soraya and “Seven Sisters” and can be seen in the sky before sunrise.

Matariki celebrations include storytelling, traditional dances and other Maori mythological rituals. This day is the time in which the relationship between man, time and nature is passed. Families often get together and celebrate the New Year by eating local foods and cultural activities.

_{Maori celebration in Matariki; Photo source: tepapa.govt.nz website; Photographer: Kate Whitley}

Did you know about New Year in other calendars? Which New Year celebrations have you participated in? Please share your opinions and views with other Kojaro users.

_{Cover photo source: solutions-leisure.com website; Photographer: Unknown (New Year celebration at Burj Khalifa, Dubai)}