Symbols and Traditions to Celebrate The New Year!

2.Father Time is one of the most significant symbol used in New Year Eve celebrations in several countries around the world and US in particular.

The common image of Father Time is that of an old bearded man dressed in a robe wearing a sash across his chest with the previous year printed on it. A personification of time, Father Time carries an hourglass or other timekeeping device and a scythe.

This particular image of Father Time is said to have been derived from several sources, including the Holly King - the Celtic God of the dying year, and Chronos - the Greek God of time.

The Father Time hands over his duties to the Baby New Year, which is the symbol of "New Year" and is depicted as an infant wearing a sash with the new year printed on it. Father Time and Baby New Year thus serve as metaphors for death of one calendar year and the birth of a new one.

Baby New Year
The tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in Greece around 600 BC. It was their tradition at that time to celebrate their god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth.

Although the early Christians denounced the practice as pagan, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the Church to reevaluate its position. The Church finally allowed its members to celebrate the new year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of the baby Jesus.

The use of an image of a baby with a New Years banner as a symbolic representation of the new year was brought to early America by the Germans, who had used the image since the fourteenth century.

4.Bursting fire-crackers and noise making fire-works are a popular image of New Year celebrations. It is said that use of noisy fire works on New Year's eve emerged from a popular belief of olden times that noise and fire helped to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck.

Different countries follow different traditions and customs related to the superstitions of chasing away of evil spirits. This is done so that the bad experiences of the past are forgotten and one starts afresh and hopes for the best in the coming year.

In Australia, January 1st is a public holiday and at midnight, on New Year's Eve, people make a cacophony using whistles and rattles, car horns and church bells to chase away evil spirits. The next day, the warm weather encourages outdoor activities, such as picnics, camping, rodeos, and surf races.