New Year Superstitions For Every One

People across the globe trust in certain superstitions related to New Year's Day. Underlying idea behind most of these superstitions is that events occurring on New Year's Day sets the pattern for the rest of the year. According to customs prevalent in their society, people perform auspicious acts to invite Lady Luck and ward off evil. Given here are some of the most astonishing and popular New Year Superstitions:

Wear New Clothes : People believe that one should wear new clothes on a New Year's Day. This would mean receiving more new garments during the year. Red clothing is preferred for New Year's Day since red is considered a happy colour and is sure to attract for the wearer a brighter future.

Avoid Crying : It is said that one should avoid breaking things or crying and wailing on the first day of the year, if you don't want to continue the pattern for the entire year.

Be Polite : People say that one should behave nicely on New Year and must refrain from using foul language. Ghost stories and conversations on death should also be avoided.

Lucky New Year Babies : Babies born on 1st January is said to be the luckiest of all throughout their lives.

Don't Let Money Leave the House : In several countries, people do not let money, jewelry, precious items or other invaluable things leave home on New Year Day. Hence it is said that one should not pay loans and bills or lend things to anybody. People go to the extent of not taking out garbage or even not dusting their carpets on this day to ensure that nothing goes out of home during the year. If you have to deliver presents on New Year morning, it is advised to leave them in the car since New Year Eve on December 31st. In case you must take something out from the home, let someone come with the present inside the home first.

Letting the Old Year Out : At midnight, all the doors of a house must be opened to let the old year escape unimpeded.

Stack Up Cupboards and Wallets : It is believed that cupboards stocked up with food and wallets and purses full of money bring prosperity in New Year. Similarly, empty pockets or empty cupboards on New Years Eve portend a year of poverty.

Do not Wash Dishes : In several societies washing dishes and doing laundry on New Year's day is said to lead to a death in the family during the year. Many people do not even wash hair on New Year day.

Do Token Amount of Work : It is said that one must do token amount of work on the New Year's Day. This is said to ensure advancement in career. But starting out a serious work project is unlucky on New Year Day.

Make Noise : People believe that Evil One and his attendants and servants hate din and loud noise. So, scare them away by being as loud in New Year celebrations as possible. Church bells are rung at midnight for the same reason.

Don't Keep Debts : Pay your bills and loans before New Year Eve, so you don't have any debt left for New Year.

Eat Black-Eyes Peas : In Southern part of the United States it is said that eating of black-eyed peas on New Year's Day will attract both general good luck and money in particular to the one doing the dining.

Kiss at Midnight : It is believed that kissing at midnight ensures that affections and ties will continue throughout the New Year. On similar lines, it is said, to not do this would be to set the stage for a year of coldness.

First Footing : One must never leave the home before someone comes in first. First footer in the house should be ushered in with a warm welcome and should not have flat feet, cross-eyes or eyebrows stretching out to meet in the middle. It would be even better if he came bearing certain small gifts.

The Direction of Wind : The direction of wind during sunrise on New Year morning prophesies about the coming year. Wind from south foretells fine weather and prosperous times ahead while wind from north foretells bad weather. Wind blowing from east foretells natural calamities and wind from west foretells plenty of milk and fish for all but death of a person of great national importance. No wind means joy and prosperity throughout the year.

Dance in the Open Air : To dance in the open air, especially round a tree, on New Year's Day ensures luck in love and prosperity and freedom from ill health during the coming twelve months.

Find Future Groom : On New Year's Day if, on rising, a girl should look out of her bedroom window and see a man passing by, she may reckon to be married before the year is finished.

Drain the Bottle : You could ensure yourself good fortune by draining the last dregs from a bottle of drink on New Years!

Read more...

New Year Decoration for 2010

New Year decorations form a very creative and innovative part of the celebrations. People in all parts of the world take active interest in decorating their houses and workplaces. New Year is the time to splurge in parties, enjoy festive drinks, relish sumptuous meals, follow customs and traditions and colorful New Year decorations.
Adorn your house with different decoration items to give it an impressive look. Here, are some of the eye-catching ideas for your sweet home:

* Think in advance which area requires maximum attention for decoration.
* Create garland swags and hang it over the entrance gates, balconies and doors of other rooms.
* Light the guest area and the main entrance of the house.
* A New Year theme can be a good idea to give your house a splendid look.
* Decorate the party area with New Year imprinted and mylar balloons, ribbons and New Year cards to give the feel of the occasion.
* Golden and silver colors should be used maximum to jazz up the decorations.
* Items used in decorating the house should be color and must add a zing to the mood.
* Beautiful scented candles with champagne glasses can be placed on the dining table.
* Use white color table cloth to give an elegant look to your dining area.
* Wall hangings add grace to the house and surrounding areas.
* A patriotic New Year theme reflects the love for one's native country. It can be a different idea for flashing out New Year's excitement. Small flags or colors of the flag can be used indoors and outdoors to highlight the theme.
* Wind chimes hung upon the entrance charges up the New Year mood.
* Handmade decoration stuff an essence of the festival and the enthusiasm of people to celebrate it. Decorative paper flowers can be made or you can cut stars from papers and sparkle it out with various attractive colors. Hang the stars in the room and see the shine of the glittering stars.

Read more...

New Year Holidays world wide

Holidays not only helps one to relax and refresh oneself from the mundane chores of life, it also enables one to visit new places, explore its various characteristics and also to soak in the spirit of the place. Pleasures of a holiday can be enhanced with planning a trip to the most exotic tourist destinations of the world. There are several aspects that should be kept in mind while planning for your dream holidays. The place of interest, the lodging facilities, the food and cuisine, the recreational facilities housed there as well as the language and culture of the place. With some information on the above, holidays could not only be made comfortable but also memorable and special.
Tourists wanting to go on World Holidays should ideally plan for the travel well in advance so as to make the travel hassle free. Selection of traveling options like flight details, getting in and around the cities, hotel bookings, and also information on the attractions housed in the city should be collected prior to the travel. Unless one puts up in a comfortable hotel or other options of accommodation, the Holidays will never be pleasurable. Therefore select the best pick depending on the location of the hotel, the amenities available there and also most importantly the budget. As most of the hotels across the world are equipped with a multi lingual staff, communication for the international travelers are no longer difficult. Also since most of the hotels in the World holiday destinations also feature multi cuisine restaurants dining no wonder becomes a great experience.
Most of the travel destinations are also featured with numerous tour and travel holiday packages. Luxury packages, discount packages and cheap packages.. the selection available is great. So the next time you plan for your vacations, all you need to do is get in touch with any of the several tour agents dealing with these tailor made tours and let them know of your preferences, they will package your tours accordingly and offer you interesting options as well.
Some of the fondly frequented Holiday destinations from all over the world have been mentioned below along with their specialties. They have been categorized according to their regions/ continents as well.
Europe – Europe is famous for its natural beauty and ancient monuments exhibiting classic architectural masterpieces. There are numerous places housed here where the visitors could plan for their holidays. While Switzerland and Austria will invite you to come and witness its unparalleled natural beauty, Italy will welcome you to its magnificent Roman ruins. At the same time, a visit to the exotic beaches in Greece will fascinate you as much as a visit to the snow capped locales of Iceland.
Asia – Known for the blend of traditional and the modern, each destination in Asia is replete with natural, cultural, historical as well as contemporary heritage. The cities in Asia offer themselves as great holiday destinations packed with world class hotels, fascinating attractions and also delectable cuisines. India, Thailand, China, Singapore and UAE are the most preferred destinations here.
America - The contemporary spirit of North America and the ethnic essence of South America together offer for great holidays here. Be it Brazil or New York, the Caribbean islands or Venezuela... each place attracts and invites the tourist to it midst with its varied characteristics.
Africa – For a distinct World Holiday experience travel to the various cities in Africa. While the abundant wildlife of South Africa will entice you with its variety, the waterfalls of Zimbabwe and the cultures of the Kalahari will equally amaze you with its uniqueness.

Read more...

Mind Blowing 2010 Events

The year 2010 is knocking at the door, time for us to bid adieu to the year 2009. It is better for us to keep a tab on the events slated to take place in 2010, such that we can plan our work accordingly. Why not venture out for a long holiday or take some drastic steps for your career? If you have the list of 2010 events with you before-hand, it becomes much easier for you to put things in place.

January 2010 holidays and events
1.January 1 (Friday), New Year’s Day
2.January 18 (Monday), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
3.January 28 (Thursday), Berlin Six Day Race (bicycle competitions, through February 2)


February 2010 Holidays and Events

1.Black History Month (U.S.)
2.February 7 (Sunday), Super Bowl XLIV (Miami)
3.February 11 (Thursday), Berlin International Film Festival (through February 21)
4.February 12 (Friday), Lincoln’s Birthday (U.S.)
5.February 12 (Friday), Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games (through February 28)
6.February 14 (Sunday), Valentine's Day
7.February 14 (Sunday), Chinese New Year
8.February 14 (Sunday), Daytona 500
9.February 16 (Tuesday), President’s Day (Washington's Birhtday observed, U.S.)
10.February 16 (Tuesday), Mardi Gras
11.February 17 (Wednesday), Ash Wednesday
12.February 21 (Sunday), British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards (UK)

March 2010 Holidays and Events

1.March 7 (Sunday), Academy Awards
2.March 12 (Friday), Vancouver 2010 Paralympic (through March 21)
3.March 14 (Sunday), Daylight Savings Time starts at 2 a.m. (U.S.)
4.March 14 (Sunday), Mothering Day, UK
5.March 17 (Wednesday), St. Patrick’s Day
6.March 18 (Thursday), Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship (Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, through March 20)
7.March 30 (Tuesday), Passover (begins at sundown the previous day)

April 2010 Holidays and Events

1.April 1 (Thursday), Holy Thursday
2.April 2 (Friday), Good Friday
3.April 3, 5 (Saturday, Monday), Final Four (Indianapolis, IN at Butler University)
4.April 3 (Saturday), Semana Santa (Holy Week, local special events held in Spain, through April 12)
5.April 4 (Sunday), Easter
6.April 5 (Monday), Easter Monday (UK, Canada)
7.April 5 (Monday), Masters Tournament (Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia, USA, through April 11)
8.April 11 (Sunday), Holocaust Remembrance Day
9.April 21 (Wednesday), Administrative Professionals Day
10.April 29 (Thursday), Golden Week (Japan, through May 5)

May 2010 Holidays and Events

1.May 1 (Saturday), Kentucky Derby
2.May 3 (Monday), May Day Holiday (UK)
3.May 5 (Wednesday), Cinco de Mayo
4.May 9 (Sunday), Mother’s Day
5.May 12 (Wednesday), Cannes Film Festival (through May 23)
6.May 24 (Monday), Victoria Day (Canada, Scotland)
7.May 30 (Sunday), Indianapolis 500
8.May 31 (Monday), Memorial Day (U.S.)

June 2010 Holidays and Events

1.June 11 (Friday), 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, Match Schedule (Final Match in Johannesburg, through July 11)
2.June 20 (Sunday), Father’s Day
3.June 21 (Monday), Wimbledon 2010 (through July 4)

July 2010 Holidays and Events

1.July 1 (Thursday), Canada Day (Canada)
2.July 4 (Sunday), Independence Day (U.S.)
3.July 6 (Tuesday), Running of the Bulls in Pamplona (through July 14)
4.July 11 (Sunday), British Open 2010 (St. Andrews, Scotland, through July 18)
5.July 13 (Tuesday), 2009 MLB All Star Game (Angel Stadium, Los Angeles)
6.July 14 (Wednesday), Bastille Day (France)
August 2010 Holidays and Events

1.August 15 (Sunday) Ferragosto, (Italy)
2.August 11 (Wednesday), Ramadan (begins at sunset the previous day, through September 10)
3.August 30 (Monday), Summer Bank Holiday (UK, Ireland)

September 2010 Holidays and Events

1.September 5 (Sunday), Father’s Day (Australia, New Zealand)
2.September 6 (Monday), Labor Day (U.S.)
3.September 6 (Monday), Labour Day (Canada)
4.September 9 (Thursday), Rosh Hashanah (begins at sundown the previous day)
5.Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15 (U.S.)
6.September 18 (Monday), Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany (ends Oct 3)
7.September 18 (Saturday), Yom Kippur (begins at sundown the previous day)
8.September 24 (Friday), La Mercé (Barcelona, Spain)

October 2010 Holidays and Events

1.October 1 (Friday), Ryder Cup 2010 (Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales, through October 3)
2.October 11 (Monday), Columbus Day
3.October 11 (Monday), Thanksgiving (Canada)
4.October 12 (Tuesday), El Pilar (Zaragoza, Spain, festivities take place the week before and a few days following)
5.October 31 (Sunday), Halloween

November 2009 Holidays and Events

1.November 7 (Sunday), Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m.
2.November 9 (Tuesday), Election Day (U.S.)
3.November 11 (Thursday), Veterans Day (U.S.)
4.November 14 (Sunday), Remembrance Day (UK, Canada)
5.November 25 (Thursday), Thanksgiving (U.S.)

December 2009 Holidays and Events

1.December 2 (Thursday), Hanukkah (begins at sundown the previous day)
2.December 25 (Saturday), Christmas
3.December 26 (Sunday), Kwanzaa
4.December 28 (Tuesday), Boxing Day (UK, Canada, Ireland)

Read more...

All About Santa Claus

It's only fitting that since Santa Claus has the magnificent capability to visit homes around the world in a single night that more than one place would claim to be his home. It's common belief that Santa hails from the wintry North Pole, but folks in Finland will also tell you that Santa calls that country his home.

To prove it, the Finns will even invite you to visit Santa in his workshop before Christmas or during the year and talk with Santa Claus as he and his elves busy themselves for their end-of-year Christmas expedition around the globe.
The popularity in America today of the images and legend of Santa Claus can be traced to the poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' that was written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822. In that poem, Moore described St. Nicholas as a jolly fellow who flew from house to house in a sleigh pulled by reindeers and waited for children to go to bed on Christmas Eve before he came down the chimney to deliver Christmas presents for them.
Following the distribution of that poem, the popular magazine Harper's Weekly published cartoons by Thomas Nast between 1863 and 1886 that depicted Santa as a cheerful fellow with a large round belly and long white beard who wore a bright red suit that was trimmed with white fur. In those cartoons, Santa also held a sack, which was filled with toys for boys and girls, over his shoulder. The cartoons also showed Santa reading letters from good boys and girls, working in his workshop with his elves, checking his list to make sure he had all the required toys and even showed his wife, Mrs. Claus.
The tradition of Santa Claus was brought to America however by Dutch colonists who settled in New York City, which was called New Amsterdam at the time. The real St. Nicholas is said to be a minor saint from the 4th Century with a reputation for generosity and kindness that gave rise to legends of many miracles that he performed for the poor and unhappy. One of the stories about the legend of St. Nicholas is that he saved three poor girls who were sisters from being sold into a life of slavery or prostitution by their father.
According to the legend, Santa Claus provided the girls with a dowry so that they could get married.The legend of St. Nicholas led to hundreds of people being devoted to him and consequently thousands of European churches became dedicated to him. After the
Reformation period however, widespread practice and worship of St. Nicholas disappeared in European countries that were Protestant, except in Holland where the legend of St. Nicholas continued. St. Nicholas was known as Sint Nikolaas but that was later corrupted to Sinter Klaas.
Dutch colonists took this tradition of Sinter Klaas to New York City where it was adopted using the Englist name of Santa Claus. Over time, the Dutch legend of the kindly saint was combined with old Nordic folktales about a magician who punished naughty children and rewarded good ones with presents to give rise to the stories that now exist about Santa Claus.
The red and white-trimmed suit of Santa Claus is believed to be the colors that the original St. Nicholas worebecause red and white were the colors of the robes worn by traditional bishops. It is also believed that the Coca Cola Co. played a role in what is regarded as the popular look of Santa Claus today through paintings by artist Haddon Sundblom that were placed in some of the company's advertisement between 1931 and 1964.

Read more...

Favorite Foods of Christmas

Favorite foods enjoyed by Americans for any given holiday, season or special occasion will likely include some ethnic dish, given the many ethnic groups that reside in the country. Despite this variety of melting pot cuisine, there are some similarities in dishes that will be a part of most meals during celebrations such as Christmas.

Christmas in the United States comes almost one month after another big holiday, Thanksgiving, in which the traditional meal must consist of a turkey as the main dish. This dish also carries over into Christmas as roast turkey is one of the main dishes that may be served for Christmas dinner. But unlike Thanksgiving, which is solely devoted to turkey meat, Christmas dinners may also include other birds or poultry. These include roast goose or duck. Roasted ham may also be served. Cranberry sauce, vegetables, pumpkin pie and a plum pudding or fruity Christmas pudding for dessert tops off traditional Christmas dinners. Mince pies and pastry
that is filled with a mixture of chopped, dried fruit may also be added to the menu.
For drinks at Christmas dinner, a bottle of champagne is very popular, as well as wines. But the everyday beverage of beer is a must for many people to make a meal truly enjoyable. Before Christmas Day and the big dinner arrives, there's also another type of food that Americans enjoy in large quantities during the Christmas season. The consumption and sales of candies, gingerbread and other cookies and holiday treats increases rapidly during the holidays. Similar to how department stores seek to attract shoppers to buy items for Christmas gifts, candy manufacturers also put out special boxes and types of candies for Christmas and the holiday season.
A survey done in 2004 by the National Confectioners Association found that many adults derived much pleasure at Christmas from giving and receiving candies and other treats. In their responses the survey participants said that giving decadent boxes of chocolate to friends and family, placing candy canes on the Christmas tree and hiding candy treats in Christmas stockings
were favorite ways to give and receive candies, cookies and treats during the holidays.
Sweet treats remain popular at Christmas despite a constant message about dieting that is present in everyday life in the media, in billboards and from some food manufacturers. At Christmas time, people feel free to enjoy the festive season without constraints. But they also know that they can enjoy candies and cookies that are health conscious by eating ones that are targeted to the low-carb dieter by having ingredients that are sugar-free and fat-free or both.
Cookies that are enjoyed at Christmas are often home-baked ones and usually include gingerbread items. The tradition of gingerbread cookies at Christmas is also believed to have originated in Germany and brought to America by German immigrants.
German bakeries began baking very fancy gingerbread houses with icing as edible snow and other decorations after the Grimm Brothers published their children's story, Hansel and Gretel. That story had a description of a house that was made of bread, a roof of cake and windows of barley. The popularity of the creations by German bakeries gave rise to cookie cutters that were made in a variety of shapes, enabling small gingerbread cookies of various shapes to be baked at home. Some of these cookies that had the shapes of little people and animals were used to decorate Christmas trees.
More than one hundred years ago from today, German homes in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania would have cookies that were up to one foot high in the front of windows of their houses as decorative items during winter. The cookies were often giant gingerbread men and women that had colorful rows of buttons and big smiles. Passersby were often cheered and intrigued by the sight and brought the idea to their homes on a smaller scale.
Being able to enjoy special dishes, candies, cookies and other goodies during Christmas and the holidays adds a sweet flavor to the season and also helps to create warm and cherished memories.

Read more...

Travel At Christmas

Because Christmas is a time to be with family, loved ones and friends, it is one of the busiest times of the year to travel. People locally, to different regions and to international destinations to share Christmas dinners, exchange gifts and recall fond memories they have of the season. There's also travel for entertainment reasons that's done by tourists within the country or from abroad.
And even on Christmas Day, the highways are busy with vehicles as relatives and friends travel between towns and states to spend the day together. The massive and rapid shift away from an agrarian society to one of commerce with the development of cities and suburbs caused family members to move farther and farther away from each other, therefore making it necessary to
travel by land, air or rail to be together for holidays such as Christmas and other special occasions. And with some countries being economic powerhouses in the world, movement of peoples got even farther as they migrated to other countries to take advantage of better opportunities to improve their lives.
Consequently, air travel has expanded in modern times to take people to international destinations. But travel during Christmas and the holidays is not limited to visiting relatives and friends. Many people travel for entertainment, including families who are interested in seeing interesting sights at Christmas and enjoying world-renowned entertainment that are in faraway places from where they live. Travel to a destination that is far away, within or outside a country, may only be done once by a family and that in itself creates a special memory.
Within the United States, it is popular for families and groups of friends to visit New York City to see the general sights of the city and to shop at Christmas. Some of these sights are known throughout the country and are celebrated each Christmas. The annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is an example.
The lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, which is located west of Fifth Avenue from 47th Street to 51st Street in New York City, has been an tradition since the time of the Depression. The first tree was placed at the site in 1931 but it wasn't decorated with any Christmas ornaments. In recent years, more than 25,000 Christmas lights and other ornaments have been placed on the tree.
Also in New York City, it is very popular for tourists to travel at Christmas to see the spectacular Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall with the signature high-kicking Rockettes. The show is a favorite of both adults and children as it is very festive, lively and filled with the spirit of Christmas.Tourists also travel during Christmas to international destinations for
entertainment. Because the Nutcracker Ballet originated in Russia and that country has worldwide acclaim for some of the most technical and artistic ballet performers, it is a popular destination at Christmas. The legendary Tchaikovsky composed the music for the Nutcracker Ballet, which was first performed in Russia's Mariinsky Theatre that is home to the acclaimed Kirov Ballet. The story is about a little girl's dream on Christmas Eve about a beloved Nutcracker toy she received as a present.
Travel to international destinations is also popular at Christmas time to escape the cold of a 'White Christmas.' For those who do not like the cold but like to be out and about at Christmas, the alternative is to go somewhere with a more tropical climate. Travel to destinations in the Caribbean, where Christmas is robustly celebrated, is popular during the Christmas season.
One of the intriguing places to travel during the Christmas season is to a place where Santa can be observed. There is such a place in Finland at a village where Santa Claus has his workshop. Travel to see and possibly talk to Santa Claus is a delightful adventure for children. But such a trip has to be made before Christmas Eve when Santa, his elves and reindeers embark on a trip themselves to every home in the world.

Read more...