What New Year traditions do you know?

What New Year traditions do you know?

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Akitum was the festival, observed in Mesopotamia around 4000 years ago. Akitum began on first new moon after spring equinox, almost like Easter these days

Priest of Marduk, the high god, would address sad prayers to his god, expressing sadness and fear before unknown

Then the king of the Babylon was brought before Marduk’s statue, stripped off his royal regalia and forced to swear he had led the city with honor

Then the high priest pulled his ear and slapped his face until king started to cry. It meant the ritual pleased Marduk.

Julius Caesar changed to celebrating New Year in January in 46 BC (Julian calendar)

Since Janus is the god of fortune, Romans would give offerings to him in the hope of gaining good fortune

It was common for friends and neighbors to make a positive start to the year by exchanging well wishes and gifts of figs and honey with one another.

Most Romans also chose to work for at least part of New Year’s Day, as idleness was seen as a bad omen for the rest of the year.

In Egypt, New year was celebrated during the annual flood of Nile

Usually it happened in mid-July and was called Wepet Renpet, “opening of the year. ” Priests predicted it with brightest star, Sirius, showing up on the sky after 70 day absence.

Big deal to celebrate the new year was a month of drinking, sex and music. Sekhmet, the goddess of war, wanted to destroy the world and Ra tricked her into drinking unconscious

Chinese New Year is celebrated for around 3000 years

Legend says a beast called Nian (now the word ‘year’ in chinese) came to villages and ate people every year

And one smart old man decided to scare Nian with fire, noise and red clothes, symbolizing fire

Since Chinese survived till now, we can be sure it worked

After some years a taoist monk Laozu captured Nian and made him his mount (Nian is actually an ox with a lion head)

Chinese New Year is observed on second new moon after winter solstice Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days, when people clean house to get rid of bad luck, settle old debts.

Nowruz is the Persian new Year, observed for around 2600 years It falls on or around the spring equinox and lasts for 13 days

Typical symbols of Nowruz are painted eggs and large bonfires, as well as big feast on the day of celebration

One of the commoners would be chosen for Nowruz fortnight and act as a Nowruz King , to be dethroned after

Medieval Europe celebrated New Year since 567 on Annunciation Day, March the 25 th , 9 full months before Christmas, which is roughly the spring equinox.

Pope Gregory XIII counted that Julian calendar has a flaw of counting days. Julian calendar counts 365, 25 days per year with one leap per 4 years While a solar year lasts 365. 2422 days, roughly 1 day a century more

In 1582 Pope Gregory introduces Gregorian calendar. -Calendar moves by 14 days back so Annunciation became 11 th of March -Only every 400 year is a leap year -January the 1 st becomes the New Year -He also forced all Jews into Christianity and burned all sacred books

Pope Sylvester the Ist is highly revered and appreciated by Jews because of his anti-semitic law from 325. His saint day (December 31 st ) is widely observed as a holiday today

Country 1 st January Gregorian Denmark 1300 s 1700 Venice 1522 1582 Holy Roman Empire (Catholic states) 1544 1583 Holy Roman Empire (Protestant states)1559 1700 Russia 1700 1918 British Empire

Jola, the winter solstice holiday in Scandinavia

Joulupukki, the ‘Jola goat’ On Winter solstice Odin and Thor held the Wild Hunt , driving flying wagons, pulled by goats. They dressed in red , symbolizing the return of the Sun after solstice

Grýla og Leppalúði (trolls) Gryla eats naughty children

Jola Sveinar (Jola guys) altogether 13, children of Gryla. Leave presents or do all kinds of mischief. Later pictured with Santa hats

Jólakötturinn, pet cat of Gryla. Roams around villages and kills and eats people who don’t wear new clothes or are lazy

Saint Nicolaus (Claus), a 4 th century Greek bishop, who lived in Myra, a town in present Turkey, and made miracles

Sanctus Nicolaus became widely known for the gifts he gave to the poor and needy. Namely, for the dowries for the three poor girls, hence saving them from prostitution life Eventually his image started to associate with gift-bearing Magi of the Bible, and hence the gift-giving

The day of Nicolaus is 6 th of December. In Protestant England they didn’t celebrate it Instead in 16 th century they moved the day to 25 th to celebrate together with Christmas, creating the popular image of Father Christmas

There is an urban legend that modern image of Santa was designed by Coca-Cola in 1930 s

It’s not true, it was just popularized by works of Haddon Sundblom There were other companies actively using Santa image at the same time and before

Do you celebrate more Christmas or New Year?

Do you remember when you found out that Father Frost wasn’t real?

What is our favorite dish on New Year or Christmas table?

Home Alone

Harry Lime is a dead rookie from a 1949 movie Third Man, who was selling fake drugs

The injuries, caused by a 8 -year old boy would have likely killed at least one of the burglars, if not both

The tarantula in this scene was a real deal, but Marv had to mime the horror not to scare it, scream was added later

Angels With Filthy Souls is not a real movie, just a b/w clip, filmed specifically for Home Alone

CONSPIRACY THEORIES

Old Man Marley Is Actually Kevin from the Future

Marley comes back to not let the burglars rob the family house and keep the family together

Uncle Frank is a true villain of the story

1. Uncle Frank orders pizza for everyone, except Kevin to make him mad 2. Uncle Frank doesn’t even hide that “My brother’s house; he’ll take care of it” 3. He sends all family to bed, feeds Fuller with Cola and blows Kevin’s fuse, that makes him stay at top floor. 4. At night he turns off the power with a tree branch (you can’t see who holds it)

If it makes you feel any better, I forgot my reading glasses.

Uncle Frank calls the burglars

While everyone mourns, Uncle Frank celebrates

In the final scenes, Uncle Frank is absent. He was afraid burglars would have sold him to the cops

Goodbye, Uncle Frank. It looks like your plan of evil didn’t succeed after all.

What is your favorite scene from the Home Alone?

Were you ever forgotten at home or somewhere else when you were a kid?

Did you ever wish your family to disappear?

If you were alone for whole holidays, what would you do?

Do you visit your family for New Year or Christmas?

Do you launch fireworks for New Year or Christmas?

What is your favorite New Year and Christmas tradition?

Is there any specific movie you always watch on New Year?

What was your best present you ever received for New Year?

What would you like to receive as a present this year?

Can you think of two things you were happy about from last year?

What was the best movie/cartoon you have watched this year?

Do you always have holidays or days off on New Year and Christmas?

Do you like a real or plastic fir tree more? What does it symbolize?

Do you participate in New Year sales? How good are they?