10 New Year Facts You Need to Know

New Year is celebrated all over the world. Loved ones in many nations come together to celebrate a new stage in their lives. It is a time when we can look to the future and feel excited for the possibilities it will bring. The List Love cannot wait for an exciting 2015, which is why we’re offering 10 New Year facts you need to know.

1. New Year’s Day

New Year in Australia

New Year’s Day is the oldest celebrated holiday, as Babylonians first celebrated the event on 23rd March, around 2000BC. So, yeah, it’s pretty old! They chose to celebrate New Year in March as it marked the beginning of Spring, which was when crops were planted. The festivities lasted a total of eleven days, and they celebrated each day in different ways.

2. New Year’s Resolutions

New Years resolutions

People all over the world have been making New Year’s resolutions for approximately 4,000 years. The ancient Babylonians are thought to have made a promise to earn the favour of the gods, and would therefore start the New Year off on the right foot.

3. New Year’s Eve Ball

Times Square ball drop

One of the biggest New Year’s celebrations is in Times Square, New York, as they famously drop the ball at the stroke of midnight. The first New Year’s Even ball was dropped in 1907, and was a response to a fireworks ban. An electrician installed the ball as an alternative celebration, and it was constructed from wood and a 700lb iron ball that featured 100 light bulbs. Watch the Time’s Square Ball drop this year.

4. Champagne

champagne

It’s not New Year’s Eve without a nice glass of champagne! Apparently, 49 million bottles of champagne bottles are consumed during the annual event. The perfect temperature to serve champagne is 45 degrees.

5. Ethiopia

New Year

Ethiopia might celebrate New Year but they don’t celebrate the same year as the rest of the world, as they have 13 months in a year. The current year is 2007 according to the Ethiopian calendar, which began on 11th September, 2014, according to the Gregorian calendar.

6. Korean New Year

New Year in Korea

In Korea and other Asian countries, you increase your age by one year on New Year. So, if you were born on December 29th, you will be considered two years old by the 1st January.

7. The Black Widow

New Year in Moscow

The Black Widow suicide bomber planned a terrorist attack in central Moscow during New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2010. However, she was instantly killed when a Happy New Year spam message from her mobile phone operator triggered her suicide belt. No-one else died in the explosion. Read more here.

8. Two New Years

New Year drinks

Russia celebrate the turn of the New Year twice. The first celebration is on 1st January and the second is on 14th January.

9. Old Appliances

old appliances

Tired of your old appliances? Johannesburg, South Africa, isn’t, as residents every New Year’s Eve carry their old goods up to their apartment building rooftops to toss them down to the streets far below.

10. Takanakuy

Takanakuy

Got beef with someone? You and your foe should settle it in Chumbilvilcas Province, Peru, on Christmas Day, as it is on 25th December that residents settle their grudges in a fistfight. The event called “Takanakuy” allows people to pit their differences to bed once and for all, so they can start the New Year with a clean slate. Once done and dusted, everyone heads off for a drink together.

Learn more festive facts with 10 Christmas Facts to Make You Feel All Warm and Fuzzy Inside from The List Love. Like what you read? Share our New Year facts with your friends, and you can even like us on Twitter and Facebook.

The List Love

The List Love is the home of high quality top 10 lists on everything from movies and TV to history and science. We offer interesting, entertaining posts to broaden your mind and smile. Follow us today on Facebook and Twitter for more amazing listicles!

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2 Responses

  1. December 24, 2014

    […] to celebrate? We can provide a plethora of facts for a variety of annual occasions. Take a look at 10 New Year Facts You Need to Know. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook and Twitter, […]

  2. January 3, 2015

    […] Would you like to learn more about other special occasions? Take a look at 10 New Year Facts You Need to Know. […]

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