Another new year is approaching and this will be a time for everyone to celebrate with fireworks, food, new resolutions, and giving each other kisses once the clock strikes twelve. How much do you know about this Holiday? Read on to learn more facts about New Year that you can share with your little ones.

 

 

The First New Year Celebration

 

The first celebration of New Year’s Day dates as far back as 4,000 years ago. The 1st of January was declared a national holiday by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar, and he named the month after Janus, the god of doors and gates. This Roman god had two faces, one facing forward and the other facing back; Caesar thought that naming the month after this god was perfect.

 

 

New Year’s Eve Ball Drop at Times Square

 

Due to a ban on fireworks, the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop began at Times Square. The first ball that was dropped was back in 1907 weighed seven hundred pounds and was lit by a hundred 25-watt lights. With today’s advanced technology, the ball is now covered in 2,688 crystals and is lit by 32,000 LED lights; in addition to that, the ball also weighs 11,875lbs and has a diameter of twelve feet.

 

 

Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade

 

In Philadelphia, the Mummers Parade is held annually and 10,000 participants go through the City Hall to perform while in unique costumes. The parade dates all the way back to the mid-17th century and elements of English, German, Swedish, as well as other European heritages are combined. The parade is categorized into five divisions: fancy division, fancy bridges, comic division, wench brigades, and string bands. If you are in the Philadelphia for New Year’s Day, be sure to not miss this spectacular event.

 

 

Grandfather Frost

 

In Soviet Russia, religion was once dismissed and Saint Nicholas, was known as Santa Claus, was replaced with Grandfather Frost. Referred to as the spirit of winter, Grandfather Frost brought presents and left these under the New Year tree.

 

 

New Year of Ancient Hawaii

 

The ancient Hawaiian New Year lasted for four months. During this period, war was forbidden and people also stopped working; instead, they had a good time while feasting and dancing.

 

 

New Year’s Eve in Johannesburg

 

The people from Johannesburg in South Africa collect old appliances on New Year’s Eve. They carry these up to rooftops of apartment buildings to toss the old appliances down the streets.

 

 

Gifts of Eggs

 

For the Ancient Persians, eggs symbolized productivity, which is why these were given as presents for New Year.

 

 

Food that Brings Bad Luck

 

Every New Year, chicken and lobster are avoided and are not served on the table since these are some of the food that is believed to bring bad luck. This is because chickens can scratch in reverse while lobsters can move backward, thus it is thought that these could also cause a reversal in one’s fortune.

 

 

The 1000-Year Long Song

 

The “Longplayer’ is a song that is continuously being created. It was started on the 1st of January in 2000 and will end on the 31st of December in 2999; once it ends, the song will come back to its starting point and will be played again on January 1, 3000.

 

 

Origin of Resolutions

 

Making resolutions at the beginning of each year are said to have originated from the medieval period; during this time, knights took the “peacock vow” yearly when Christmas season ended to acknowledge their commitment to chivalry.

 

 

Top Ten Resolutions

 

Every new year, people make resolutions and most often, the top ten include: having healthier eating habits, sticking to a budget, losing weight, saving more money, doing more exercise, being more patient, getting organized, finding a better job, and basically to become a better person.

 

 

Fireworks from Sydney Harbour Bridge

 

In Australia, more than eighty thousand fireworks are set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge to celebrate and welcome the incoming New Year. What’s great about their fireworks display is that these are synchronized to a specific soundtrack that allows the fireworks to explode off the catwalk, arches, as well as the roadway of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the city’s buildings.

 

 

For your New Year celebration, decorate your house with the LED Balloon from Whistlecopter to make your home more colorful as you welcome 2018.  Click here to watch the video of this newest creation.

 

The LED Balloon is made from latex and it also features bright LED lights. Unlike ordinary balloons, you can inflate the LED Balloon again if you need to reuse it for other occasions in the future, making it really worth while purchasing.  When you purchase Whistlecopter’s LED Balloon, you will get the balloon itself, a LED string with brand new batteries, a clip to secure the balloon after inflating it, and an instruction manual.  Welcome the New Year with a blast with the LED Balloon as well as other amazing toys from Whistlecopter.