- Rites and signs
- Legendary ball in Times Square
- Festive table
- New Year gifts
- Celebrating the New Year in different states
Undoubtedly, the main calendar of holidays for Americans is Christmas. However, along with this, the New Year in the United States is also considered an important state-level event, as well as just a fun and noisy event. The tradition of celebrating the coming of the following year on January 1 was established by the Dutch colonists who founded New York. In the future, the custom spread throughout the country at the speed of light and is observed to this day.
Rites and signs for the New Year in the USA
Over the course of several centuries, certain New Year traditions, filled with special meaning, have appeared in the country.
Among the most popular are:
- Thorough cleaning of the house on the eve of the holiday. Such a procedure, according to the Americans, will bring prosperity and peace of mind in the new year.
- Analysis of all the important events that have occurred during the year. Moreover, each of the events is recorded on paper. It is customary to burn leaves with old ones, and make a separate list for new ones. This custom is repeated from year to year, since the inhabitants of America firmly believe that only by writing down the desired, it can come true.
- Home decoration with a variety of souvenirs depicting a baby in a diaper. It is the newborn child that personifies in the United States the image of the outgoing year and the coming of the next.
- On a holiday, people, as a rule, take to the streets of cities and begin to sing loudly, shout and clap their hands. This tradition dates back to antiquity and, according to popular legends, allows you to scare away evil spirits.
Legendary ball in Times Square
The most famous square in New York during the New Year period becomes the center of attention. This is due to the fact that in 1907 the city authorities built an original composition with a huge sparkling ball. Since then, every year on December 31st, thousands of New Yorkers and other statesmen have gathered to watch the colorful performance of the 23-meter balloon dropping.
The ball begins its movement at exactly 23.59 local time and slowly descends, lingering at the lowest point for ten seconds. It is at this time that people begin to count down the last 10 seconds of the outgoing year. As soon as the ball is fully lowered, fireworks, applause and cheers from the crowd are heard. The show has become widespread in the United States, so it is broadcasted by almost all TV channels.
An interesting fact is that in other regions the custom of lowering the ball also exists. However, instead of a ball, images of animals or plants are used, which are symbols of the area. So, in the state of Georgia, a model of a balloon in the form of a peach was specially prepared for the ritual, and in North Carolina, the balloon looks like an acorn.
Festive table
Americans consume most of the delicious dishes at Christmas. The festive table for the New Year is not so abundant and consists of the following national dishes:
- turkey stuffed with beans, garlic and vegetables;
- light cold cuts;
- cheese plate with fruit;
- pork knuckle stewed in maple syrup;
- thin dough pies with meat filling (runza);
- a variety of beef or pork steaks;
- oysters, lobsters, shrimps and other seafood cooked as desired;
- cherry pie or famous custard pancakes;
- punch, brandy, champagne;
- stewed beans, lentils.
American housewives are in awe of the decoration of the table. A composition of candles and fir branches, decorated with miniature bells, must be placed in the center of the table. A napkin with an embroidered New Year's ornament is placed near each plate. Glasses are tied with thin red or blue ribbons. Dinner starts three hours before the New Years celebration.
Some US residents prefer to celebrate the holiday away from home. For this, a restaurant is pre-booked, where on December 31 you can not only eat delicious food, but also see an interesting entertainment program with the participation of the city's creative teams.
New Year gifts
Americans are very practical both in the choice of presents for the New Year and in their cost. The average amount that US residents are willing to spend on buying a surprise ranges from $ 40 to $ 700.
The gift is presented with a receipt attached to it. This is done so that a person can return the gift back to the store if he does not like it or does not need it. The main list of presents includes: souvenir products (postcards, figurines, key rings, magnets, mugs with inscriptions, jewelry); household items (dishes, textiles, plants); stationery.
In recent years, it has become quite popular in the United States to give certificates for the purchase of clothes, a trip to a beauty salon, an entertainment center or an amusement park.
Celebrating the New Year in different states
In all parts of the country, the holiday is celebrated on a grand scale. In each of the states, mass events are organized, which locals and tourists seek to attend.
The state of California (the city of Pasadena) is famous for its magnificent carnival procession called the Rose Parade. Already in the morning, mobile platforms 2-5 meters long, decorated with an abundance of flowers, appear on the streets. The performance is accompanied by orchestral music and dancing by actors dressed in colorful costumes. When the carnival ends, a football match begins at the central stadium among the strongest teams in the city.
Philadelphia attracts thousands of people who want to try their hand at the art of pantomime during the New Year holidays. The spectacular parade lasts about 10 hours and is a large-scale show featuring circus performers and musicians.
Those who like to celebrate the New Year in a more exotic way go to the Hawaiian Islands, where themed parties and discos are held on the occasion of the holiday. The combination of amazing nature and New Year's mood always make an indelible impression on those present.
As a result, we note that US residents celebrate the New Year 6 times during the day, since the country has 6 time zones.
