New Year: origin of the holiday and activities to do with the family

New Year origin of the holiday and activities to do

New Year’s Eve is an opportunity with family or friends to draw a line under the year that has passed and celebrate the new year that is looming. For this, all over France, several activities are organized for families. Overview.

In France and around the world, the end-of-year holiday season usually ends with the New year’s eve, also called New Year’s Eve, the evening of December 31. Families or friends gather around a good festive meal to celebrate the transition to the new year which occurs in the night, at midnight. During the evening, it is also an opportunity for some to draw a line under the past year, to share memories and make new commitments for the coming year. In general, New Year’s festivities are surrounded by many more or less fanciful traditions. What are the traditions in France? Who initiated the New Year? And since when do we celebrate it?

What are the origins and history of the New Year?

New Year’s Eve is a celebration that is not so new, it dates back to the time of Julius Caesar. At that time, in 46 BC, the famous Roman emperor decided to set the date of the New Year on January 1st. For him, it was the first day of the new year. The very believing Roman people then dedicated this day to Janus, God of renewal who had two faces, one turned forward, in other words the future, and the other backwards, the past. Even today, the New Year is for many synonymous with renewal.

Over the centuries, the date of the New Year has not been fixed, it has evolved: it was alternately celebrated on December 25, under Charlemagne, at Easter at Capetian time, until the Edict of Roussillon of August 9, 1564 promulgated by Charles IX never returns to January 1. In 1622, the Holy See established that January 1 marks the first day of the year in Catholic countries.

What activities are planned for families for December 31?

Some families want to take advantage of New Year’s Day to do activities that change from the traditional meal at home, followed by a small party. It could be a concert, a day at an amusement park or at Disney. If this is your case, or if you simply want to occupy your children on D-Day, Here are the events that are planned all over France:

  • The Lion King Musicalat the Théâtre Mogador in Paris: from 74 euros per ticket. More information on the Fnac ticket office.
  • My first Swan Lakeat the Théâtre Mogador in Paris: from 25 euros per seat. To read the program, go to the Fnac ticket office.
  • Nutcracker Dance Balletat the Palais des Congrès in Paris: seat from 44 euros. More details on the Fnac ticket office.
  • Lights in the Dark Dance Light Showat the Théâtre Libre de Paris: from 26 euros per seat. Reservation and program on the Fnac website.
  • Special New Year’s Eve Cabaret of the Zèbre de BellevilleParis: show and meal package. More details on the website www.lezebre.com
  • Equestrian show Les Folies Grussat the Gruss Boulogne-Billancourt circus: discover the information of the event on the official site of the circus Gruss.

What day falls on December 31 this year?

This year, on the calendar, December 31 is a Saturday. It is customary to celebrate the New Year on the night of Saturday, December 31 to 1er January. New Year’s Day falls on Sunday 1er January 2023. It is also a public holiday. The people who celebrate it therefore have a whole day to recover from their excesses.

What traditions at New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Eve?

New Year’s Eve is not without a table overflowing with food: oysters, caviar, foie gras, dates, honey bread, spices… Clothes must be gold or sequined, symbols of novelty. We will not forget the Champagne nor the party favors. As for fireworks, they are intended to ward off evil spirits. The New Year’s Eve party has been modernized over the years: playlists or themed evenings such as disguise evenings, Black & White, trips to the past or to the future… have been very successful! In several countries, including France, traditions on New Year’s Day are legion. They vary according to the country: we will break plates in Denmark, we will swallow 12 grapes in 12 seconds in Spain or we will throw a coin into a river in Romania. In France, here are the traditions that are the most shared:

New Year countdown

Always keep an eye on your watch on New Year’s Eve. It’s not all about kissing at midnight, you still have to start the countdown during the last ten seconds… And when the clock indicates 0:00, everyone must in principle hasten to chant “Happy New Year, to your good health !”

New Year’s bath

Straight from the Scandinavian countries, the tradition of bathing in ice water will thrill the less adventurous. Jumping into cold water after immersing yourself in a steam bath would have the virtue of strengthening the immune system. This tradition also corresponds to a rite of purification. And it is the Bretons, who are the most followers of this tradition!

New Year’s wishes

In the hours following the transition to the New Year, it is customary to grab your smartphone and frantically write messages of New Year’s wishes to uncertain fate – the network being of course saturated. The most traditional and vintage ones send a greeting card by La Poste. The inventor of the Christmas card, Sir Henry Cole certainly had no idea that this fantasy would become an institution. Saying New Year’s Greetings is today an act of politeness, not to present them… culpable negligence that can sometimes earn you reprimands from your loved ones. Here are our free printable New Year greeting card templates:

Kisses under the mistletoe

Considered a sacred plant at the time of the Gauls, mistletoe was renowned for its medicinal and magical faculties. On New Year’s Eve, skissing under the mistletoe brings good luck and aims to summon prosperity and fertility to people.

On New Year’s Eve, we put on our 31! Here are our outfit ideas to shine for the New Year.

Who was Saint Sylvester?

33th Pope of Christendom (from AD 314), Saint Sylvester was a contemporary of Emperor Constantine, emperor whom he would have succeeded in curing of leprosy. Certain of having been in the presence of a being capable of performing miracles, the emperor would then have converted to Christianity. More mysterious is the link between New Year’s Eve and the eponymous feast that we celebrate on December 31 of each year…

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