06 Track 6

Unit 9

Festivals and Celebrations

Chapter 1

How do you celebrate?

Page 109

How do you celebrate?

New Year’s Day

New Year is one of the most popular festivals in the world, even though it is celebrated at different times and in different ways.

In many Western countries, people get together with family and friends on December 31 to eat, drink, and dance as they wait for January 1.

Some of the biggest parties are held on New Year’s Eve. In many cities, crowds gather in the center of town to welcome the new year at midnight with fireworks.

For many Asian countries like China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, the New Year is based on a lunar calendar. The date changes from year to year, but usually falls between January 21 and February 21.

It is traditionally seen as a time for family reunions, with people traveling across the country and from overseas. Many people wear red clothes, as it is thought to be a lucky color.

They also give “lucky money” in red envelopes to friends and family, and set off firecrackers to scare away bad luck.

What’s common among these celebrations is the meaning of the new year; it is a time to say goodbye to the past and to think about new beginnings.

For example, in Japan, people organize bonenkai parties (“year forgetting parties”), which are dedicated to leaving the old year’s worries and troubles behind.

In many countries, people make New Year’s resolutions−promises to themselves to make changes in their lives over the coming year, such as to lose weight, stop smoking, or learn a new skill.

Carnival

In late February or early March, some countries celebrate a special festival called Carnival. Carnival is thought to have originated in Italy or Greece, and was held just before Lent, the 40-day period before Easter People dressed in costumes, wore colorful masks, ate, drank, and danced all night.

This tradition spread to France, Spain, Portugal and later to Brazil and the United States.

Now, two of the biggest Carnival celebrations take place in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and New Orleans in the United States.

There are grand parades where people wear flashy costumes and dance and sing in the streets.

In New Orleans, Carnival is known as Mardi Gras. Many roads and shops are shut down for the celebrations which can last for up to three weeks.

Millions of visitors travel from around the world to join the party, and many more watch the event on television.