As the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, Europe awakens to a tapestry of traditions that mark the commencement of January 1st. Each country embraces the first day of the year with unique customs, reflecting a blend of cultural heritage, regional flavors, and shared joy. In this journey across Europe, we explore the diverse and captivating traditions that shape the dawn of a new year in Romania, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, England, Germany, and Spain.
In Romania, the first day of the year is steeped in folklore and superstition. One intriguing tradition is the "Capra" dance, where performers adorned in colorful costumes and masks mimic the movements of a goat, symbolizing the expulsion of malevolent spirits. It's a lively spectacle that captivates both locals and visitors.
As the new year unfolds, Romanians engage in a unique custom known as "Sorcova." Youngsters visit neighbors and relatives, reciting well-wishing verses and gently tapping them with a decorated stick. This act is believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the year ahead.
In the Czech Republic, the first day of the year is celebrated with a grand display of fireworks that illuminates the night sky. The spectacle is not only a visual feast but also a collective expression of joy and anticipation for the possibilities of the coming year.
Czechs also embrace the tradition of "Dinner for Good Luck." The first meal of the year often includes lentils, a symbol of prosperity, and pork, representing progress and wealth. Families gather around tables laden with traditional dishes, sharing laughter and creating lasting memories.
Denmark welcomes the new year with a unique and exhilarating tradition known as "Gå På Skattejagt." Translated as "Go On Treasure Hunt," this custom involves crafting intricate clues that lead participants on a journey to find a treasure hidden by the host. It's a playful and engaging way to commence the year with a spirit of adventure and camaraderie.
Additionally, Danes partake in the tradition of leaping off chairs at the stroke of midnight. As the clock chimes, family and friends climb onto chairs and jump into the new year together. It's a symbolic act of leaving behind the old and embracing the new, both literally and figuratively.
In Italy, the first day of the year is accompanied by the enchanting sound of church bells ringing at midnight. The pealing bells are believed to dispel negativity and welcome a year filled with positivity and good fortune.
Italians also have a curious tradition related to the choice of undergarments. Wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve is believed to bring love, luck, and fertility. Shops abound with red lingerie in the days leading up to the new year as Italians prepare to embrace this quirky yet charming custom.
In England, the tradition of "first-footing" takes center stage as the clock strikes twelve. The first person to enter a home after midnight, known as the "first-footer," is believed to bring good luck for the coming year. This visitor often carries symbolic gifts like coins, bread, and salt, representing wealth, food, and flavor.
No New Year's Eve celebration in England is complete without the singing of "Auld Lang Syne." This classic Scottish song, penned by Robert Burns, is sung with gusto as revelers join hands, creating a poignant and nostalgic moment that transcends time.
Netflix begins 2024 with a variety of fictions, many of them in miniseries format, such as Griselda, about the life of the Colombian drug trafficker Griselda Blanco; and Deceptions, a brand new adaptation of the novel by Harlan Coben, one of the platform's favorite authors when transpolating police novels.
“Muñeca Brava generated a lot of empathy in everyone, because it was a classic story but interpreted with a lot of self-confidence, something that in the novels “At that time it was not common,” Oreiro expressed to LA NACION. “Mili spoke to the camera and had a connection with the viewer, another thing that did not exist either. She was also a heroine in some atypical way, in the sense of female empowerment. It became a transgenerational and transcultural event.”
These are the main series coming to Netflix in January:
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The 28-year-old singer is said to have 'secretly' filmed the promo, which is believed to have included explosions, as well as fighting crowds and chaos, before Hamas' brutal bombing of Israel on October 7.
A music expert told The Sun he quit after 'emergency meetings' between Dua Lipa's team:
'Last September a video was recorded for Dua Lipa's next campaign. At its core, the video was funny but contained themes of mayhem, including car accidents, demolitions, explosions, fireworks, and fighting crowds. Dua and his team decided it would be insensitive for the video to be released given what happened on October 7 and since.'
The big-budget music video included hundreds of extras and would have coincided with the lead-up to the release of her third studio album in 2024.
On October 7, the Hamas terrorist group launched an attack against Israel that killed at least 1,200 people and sparked the current conflict in Gaza.
In a statement posted to her Instagram that month, an outraged Dua Lipa said:
'Every day that passes, my heart aches for the people of Israel and Palestine. Grief for the lives lost in the horrific attacks in Israel. Pain as we witness the unprecedented suffering in Gaza, where 2.2 million souls, half of them children, endure unimaginable hardship. For now, I desperately hope for a ceasefire in Gaza and urge governments to stop the unfolding crisis. Our hope lies in finding the empathy to recognize this terrible humanitarian situation.'
It is not known what track accompanied the apparently deleted video.
The album's first single, 'Houdini', peaked at No. 2 in the charts when it was released in November.
It is a pop culture fact that shouted, at that time, that women also masturbated and that it was not something out of this world either. It was something to enjoy alone and, today, although taboos still exist, it is widely known that masturbation has no side effects, on the contrary, it has many benefits.
The iconic Times Square Ball Drop is synonymous with New Year's Eve globally. Over a million revelers gather in the heart of Manhattan, braving the chilly temperatures to witness the descent of the glittering crystal ball, signaling the arrival of the new year. The event is a spectacle of confetti, fireworks, and performances by renowned artists, broadcasted to millions around the world.
The 21-year-old missed much of 2023 after operations on both wrists and an ankle, but will return to Auckland with a protected qualification a year after leaving the tournament in tears after twisting her ankle during a second-round match.
“Yes, I feel reborn in a way. “I feel fresh, ready, happy and excited,” Raducanu told reporters this Saturday.
