Know More about New Year in an Easy Mind Map

The New Year holiday is coming, but how much do you know about the event? Simply read this article for more background and different cultural celebrations of the event in an easy mind map. You can also create your own New Year mind maps with the handy mind mapping software.

What is the New Year about?

Generally, New Year is the day at which a new calendar year starts. A large number of regions and countries celebrate the New Year event in different ways based on their own cultural background. In the majority of western countries, such as the U.S.A and the U.K., the 1st day of January is often marked as a national holiday.

Historical Background of the New Year

The Gregorian calendar, which is the most commonly used calendar system nowadays, came from the Roman calendar and the Julian calendar. The civil new year date remained in effect throughout the overall Roman Empire. Moreover, the dates of the New Year were adopted according to different local dates during the Middle Ages in some Europe countries. 

How Do Different Cultures Celebrate New Year?

In modern times, different regions or countries, for example, in Latin America, China, India, and Israel areas, may use their own calendars to celebrate the New Year. It is also quite interesting to know about how these cultures celebrate New Year in their own way. Let’s explore some of them right now!

China

Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival in modern China. It is also the cause of the world largest annual human migration. Chinese New Year has been considerably impacting the celebrating traditions of China’s neighbor countries such as Korea and Vietnam. During the New Year holiday, Chinese families usually decorate their furniture in red couplets and thoroughly clean their room to welcome good luck, happiness and wealth.

India

The Indian New Year begins on Oct. 31st every year and normally lasts for five days. In some parts of India, they even embrace each other and cry. This is because Indian people think life is short, so they express their sigh by crying. Because of this strange custom, New Year’s Day in India is also known as the “Crying New Year’s Day”.

Japan

At midnight of the New Year Eve in Japan, the temple bells often strike 108 times. Japanese believe that every knock will remove one kind of trouble, and the 108 knocks mean to clear up all the troubles. After the bell sounded, people flocked to shrines and temples.

Germany

On New Year’s Eve in German, people who live in villages or towns often hold a tree-climbing match. First, they select several big trees that are as high as three feet, then they cut off several branches, and leave only their main trunks. In the early morning of their New Year, the participants who climbed fast to the top of the tree were rewarded as the “New Year Hero”.

Switzerland

During the New Year holiday, Swiss people prefer to take some snow from the outside of their house, then turn it into the water, and sprinkle it on the ground to press dust. This is because Swiss believe that snow is auspicious.

Spain

The country has a very old tradition of eating 12 grapes at the rhythm of the bell at midnight and make sure they finish eating before the bell strikes. By doing so, Spanish pin their hope on the following 12 months to be sweet and safe.

Argentina

Argentian families usually run to the rivers on Jan. 1st to have a New Year’s bath. Before entering the water, they first scatter the collected flowers on the river, then laugh and jump into the water to enjoy the bath. In this country, water is regarded as a happy thing.

Iran

In Iran, people usually celebrate their New Year in late March according to the Gregorian calendar. Irish families rush to the streets to make a “bonfire” and “night fire”, and then they jump up and down from the night fire, in turn, to burn the “bad luck”, dispel evil and disease.

How Could I Create a New Year Mind Map Easily?

Simply try this free and handy mind map software Edraw MindMaster with rich built-in templates, themes, clip arts, connector types and so on. Once done, you can one-click share on SNS and the mind map community, or present it based on a series of slides to your audience.