New Years Day
January 1
10...9...8... The lighted ball in New Yorks Times Squarestarts picking up speed. 7...6...5... Its almost time. 4...3...2... Everyone holds their breath for the last few seconds. Were about to jump that seemingly large but invisible gap that separates the years. 1...0... Happy New Year!
We made it. The old year, for better or worse, is gone for good. The new year has begun with fresh promise. Heres our chance to start again, to do it right this time, to have another shot at success...at glory...at just accomplishing what we resolve to. Its time to shed that baggage from the year long gone and celebrate what can be in the 365 untouched days to come. Happy New Year!
We can trace the origins of a new years celebration back to the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians, at least 4,000 years ago. In Egypt, the Nile river signaled a new beginning for the farmers of the Nile as it flooded their land and enriched it with the siltneeded to grow crops for the next year. This happened near the end of September.
The Babylonians held their festival in the spring, on March 23, to kick off the next cycle of planting and harvest. Symbolically, the king was stripped of his robes and sent away for a few days while the people whooped it up. He then returned in all his fineryfor a grand parade, and the normal activities of life would return for the new year.
So how did we get to January 1 as the start of the year? That date was picked by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar when he established his own calendar in 46 BC. The Roman Senate had actually tried to make January 1 New Years Day in 153 BC, but it wasnt until Caesar stretched out 47 BC for 445 days that the date were familiar with was synchronizedwith the sun. Weve been on the Julian calendar ever since.
There must be something inside of us that needs to unload the accumulated results of fate and our own decisions and start anew. The Romans knew this. The month of January was named for their god, Janus, who is pictured with two heads. One looks forward, the other back, symbolizing a break between the old and new. The Greeks paraded a baby in a basket to represent the spirit of fertility. Christians adopted this symbol as the birth of the baby Jesus and continued what started as a pagan ritual. Today our New Years symbols are a newborn baby starting the next year and an old man winding up the last year.
Around the world, different cultures have their own traditions for welcoming the new year. The Japanese hang a rope of straw across the front of their houses to keep out evil spirits and bring happiness and good luck. They also have a good laugh as the year begins to get things started on a lucky note.
In West Bengal, in northern India, the people like to wear pink, red, purple and white flowers. Women favor yellow, the color of spring. Hindusalso leave shrines next to their beds so they can see beautiful objects when they wake up to the new year.
In Vancouver, British Columbia, Canadians enjoy the traditional polar bear swim. People of all ages don their swim suits and take the plunge, an event that is sure to get you started in the new year with eyes wide open.
A fairly new tradition that is starting to spread worldwide is a community celebration of the visual and performing arts on New Years Eve. Started in Boston in 1976, an organization called First Night promotes alcohol-free festivals in 186 American cities, 16 in Canada, plus Hastings, New Zealand and Greenwich, England. Typical experiences include ice sculptures, dancing, storytelling, theater, poetry, films and, at the stroke of midnight, an elaborate fireworks display.
Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a happy and prosperous New Year!
“为食物垃圾买单” 韩国在行动
阿里巴巴旗下蚂蚁金服融资45亿美元
科学家找到友谊小船说翻就翻的原因!
体坛英语资讯:Zhang Weili becomes Chinas UFC World Champion after a stunning knockout
国际英语资讯:White House announces Trumps new pick for FEMA administrator
美国VR校车 带孩子们体验火星之旅
郑州“女性专用公交”引争议
美国小店推环保披萨:可以连盒一起吃
“公鸭嗓”成英国年轻女性新风尚
帮你人气倍增的沟通技巧
国际英语资讯:DPRK official regrets lack of progress in talks with U.S., but places hope in Trump
迪拜乞丐富得流油 月入47万元人民币!
让网友直呼英语易学的神翻译
中国遏制大宗商品投机
创业前先想明白这七个问题吧
长期载客不堪重负 大象被热死死不瞑目
旅游人们最爱带啥? 国人大爱方便面
整天坐办公室?7大妙计让白骨精们远离肥胖
24条都中?说明你20岁的身体里住了个老灵魂!
国际英语资讯:U.S. House Democrats subpoena Pompeo over whistleblower complaint
酒店里最脏7个地方 记得带消毒纸巾
国际英语资讯:63 Palestinians injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza
Facebook疯传 戳中中国家庭痛点的漫画
国际英语资讯:Russia detains 9 IS fundraisers
国内英语资讯:China-LatAm cooperation voluntary choice of both sides: Chinese FM
如何防范手机黑客,教您几个妙招
在香港才能吃到的彩虹三明治!超梦幻
床垫能识你的另一半是否有外遇
国内英语资讯:Xi Focus: Xi calls on all ethnic groups to jointly create bright future
希拉里:若当选内阁将有一半是女性
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |