3...2...1...Happy New Year!!!

Midnight approaches, friends and family gather, the ball begins to drop, the countdown begins, midnight strikes, and the new year has begun. But how do people really celebrate?

My family has a rather simple, uneventful, but still entertaining tradition. Most years, we go to our family friend's house and meet the other families that make up the "Iffers" a group of four interfaith families. All of the parents took classes together when they were deciding what religion to raise their children and have remained friends since, so all of the kids know each other and are only a few years apart. Each family brings an appetizer or dessert and the host family supplies the main dinner, normally Italian food. One of the families is always assigned dessert since they often get there late. However, they always make it in time for dinner.

After we eat, the kids head down to the basement and switch between Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest's pre-show and whatever review of the year we can find to make fun of. We all take turns watching from the couch and fighting over the chiropractor chair the family has in the basement, which flips 180 degrees around. While silly, it is something fun we do to keep ourselves entertained. At some point during the night we often play a round of pool or some other game to keep ourselves busy.

Eventually we go upstairs and watch the end of Dick Clark's show with the parents, take pictures, put on hats and get noisemakers, and then countdown as we watch the ball drop. After the ball drops, we all run outside and watch our friend's dad shoot off fireworks in the cul-de-sac. A few times we ran inside as it felt like the ashes were going to fall on us while still on fire. After the fireworks my family heads home for the night. We don't have any traditions for New Year's Day.

Photo By: Swallowtail Garden Seeds

Since my tradition is rather simple in comparison to past posts I decided to ask a few friends' what they do and got an interesting mix of responses.

One of my friends told me about her two traditions she has had throughout the years. When she was younger she would always go to her dad's house, in the middle of no where, and bang on pots and pans at midnight while her neighbor shot a shotgun into the air to make a loud noise to ring the new year in. Since high school began, where she met her best friend, she has always gone to her friends house and done a three movie marathon. They take a break at midnight to watch the ball drop and drink sparkling grape juice. Then, they finish the last movie and go to bed.

I had a few other friends who simply hung out with friends and family, played games, watched movies, and drank sparkling grape juice.

Photo By: Michael Bentley

Another one of my friends is a new year's baby, so he said he gets to celebrate his birthday on New Year's. At midnight, his family eats cake and then they go to bed.

Speaking of food, my aunt and uncle eat black eyed peas and ham for good luck.

I found out that Carlisle, PA, my friend's hometown, lowers a small car from a crane in the town square. After the car is lowered at midnight there is music and fireworks. Her family also puts paraffin in lanterns, makes a wish, and lets them float away every year.

Photo By: Nick Bramhall

In Pittsburgh, my friend goes with her family for pizza and then into the city for First Night in Pittsburgh. This includes fireworks starting at 6pm over the river and more fireworks when the ball drops.

My roommate told me about the traditions that she knows in Japan, which include eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve to have a long life, eating lots of delicious food on New Year's Day, visiting temples, and watching fireworks.

Interestingly, when I asked my friends what they do for the New Year's I didn't just get traditions for the secular New Year that occurs December 31st-January 1st. My Jewish friend said she eats apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year-see my earlier post about the holiday. However, she also included that last secular New Year she knitted while watching Food Network and Pitbull's New Year Revolution.

Photo By: slgckgc

My other friend told me about her Chinese New Year's tradition where she eats lots of good Chinese food, calls her family in Taiwan to wish them good health, and gives and receives money within her family. Plus when she attended a Chinese school they would have a New Year's party that was a blast.

I thought it was interesting to see how everyone I talked to about New Years had different traditions but they all revolved around being with family or friends and counting down to the moment the new year began. It seems like everyone enjoys welcoming in the new year as it symbolizes a new start but no one has an crazy traditions.

Please share any traditions you have! I hope to hear at least one unique one!