New Year’s Eve is one of the most special and one of the most leisure options. Year after year we try to live it in an original way, with high expectations and seeking to surpass the previous year’s choice. Many times it is pleasing to stay at home eating the 12 lucky grapes and toasting with cava with those closest to us, and then going out through the streets of our cities to celebrate that a new year begins, as our tradition marks. But the truth is that, of all the Christmas celebrations, New Year is the one that most invites us to live in a little homely way, since it allows options where borders open and where our beginning of the year can be experienced very far from ours, practicing rituals for the arrival of the New Year that are very unusual for we.
Proposals? Throughout the five continents we have endless corners where celebrating the arrival of the year can mean a change of culture in our experience that will undoubtedly attract our attention, and we will want to experience it to see it as exotic, attractive and above all different.
Below, we have selected a series of great destinations where to spend New Year’s Eve that will usher in 2013. Without a doubt, each of them represents a choice where the experience can become unforgettable.
New York
One of the most typical images of all the end of the year is the celebration in Times Square, in the heart of Manhattan. The origins of this celebration go back to 1904, when the headquarters of ‘The New York Times’ was inaugurated in that place. The square begins to fill with people hours before midnight and from that moment the meeting begins to be a party. But the most stellar and representative moment of the whole night occurs when, at twelve o’clock, the famous crystal ball descends from the top of the One Times Square building, followed by fireworks, lights, confetti, hugs and voices of joy flood such an emblematic stage. In addition to that, it is recommended to go shopping on 5th avenue and take a walk in Central Park, the atmosphere is very charming.
Vienna
One of the main charms of spending New Year’s Eve in this beautiful Austrian city is experiencing the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert live, an emblematic act on the first day of the year where there are any. Apart from that, it can be a good excuse to spend a romantic start to the year in one of the most charming European capitals. We recommend taking a walk through the most beautiful places in the old town, going to Schönbrunn Palace or the Prater Park.
Tokyo
‘Akemashite Omedetô’ (Happy New Year) would be the phrase you would hear the most on New Year’s Eve in the middle of a celebration loaded with superstitions. In the country of Japan, you will not get tired of hearing the bells ring, since they are not carried out 12 times but 108 times that the Japanese temples shake them to celebrate the act. This is so because, according to tradition, the objective of each chime is to get rid of evil in the new year that is beginning. The ornamentation of the houses is very curious, which are decorated with bamboo and evergreen leaves, symbols of eternal life and honesty. In addition, the Japanese make an effort to start the year laughing, since they think that a smile is a symbol of good luck. Two very characteristic customs of the Japanese New Year are: visiting a Japanese temple on the night of the 31st and eating soba noodles, since they are believed to bring good luck due to their elongated shape.
Lapland
Being in Lapland at Christmas is like being in the typical snowy Christmas postcard enjoying the beautiful landscapes of this Finnish region. It is possibly one of the places that most invites rest and tranquility , and perhaps one of the destinations that best helps us to live the Christmas spirit, since our beloved Santa Claus lives in those lands. It is very typical to go to Santa Claus Village, where there are souvenir and craft shops and even where you can send Christmas letters at the Santa Claus Post Office and even greet Santa himself. We propose some activities that can be done during the stay: snowmobile ride along a frozen side, visit a husky dog farm, visit a reindeer farm or cross the magic line of the Arctic Circle. The arrival of the new year is celebrated with fire, ice, darkness, snow, lights, music and dancing in discotheques made of snow and fireworks. Without a doubt, this is a very valid destination to take the little ones in the house.
Copacabana
A different way to spend the night: on the beach. In Copacabana, Brazil, the new year is celebrated in close communion with the sea. Tradition calls for dressing in white while watching the fireworks on the shore. In addition, that night a series of rites are performed to start the year off on the right foot, such as jumping over seven waves or making a wish while throwing flowers into the water. Undoubtedly, an unusual start to the year if we compare it with our way of living it.
Cairo
Can you imagine living the new year among the historical remains of one of the oldest civilizations? The magic of New Year’s Eve in Cairo is transferred to all corners of the city, where all the inhabitants usually wear very colorful and special dresses, even the women, who normally have to wear black. The celebration of the native population is a very homely act and families get together in their homes while the little ones eat chocolate. Contrasting with this, this city is increasingly becoming a New Year’s destination due to the fame of its nightclubs such as ‘Club de Jazz Cairo’, ‘Club Morocco’, ‘Latex’ or the Hilton Hotel.
Sydney
This is another destination for those who want to spend a New Year’s Eve night in the heat of the high temperatures. And it is that, in Australia, on December 31 we are in the middle of the summer season. The images of people bathing in the sea with Santa Claus hats in Australian waters are something more than typical, since New Year is normally spent on the beach where surfing competitions take place. In addition, Australians like to receive the year with noise, and when the clock strikes twelve o’clock you begin to hear numerous car horns honking, whistling, clapping and even church bells chiming.
Kuala Lumpur
If you want an exotic yet modern destination , definitely pack your bags and go to Malaysia at the end of the year. Its capital, Kuala Lumpur, is a Muslim city but New Year’s celebrations are lived in a Western way. The best part of the celebration takes place in the restaurants, pubs and bars, where people gather to enjoy music and dance. During the festival, it is very typical to eat Peking duck, sausages and mandarins, all in large quantities. In addition, the neighbors usually decorate their houses with red lanterns, flags and fireworks. In homage to the high percentage of the Chinese population in Malaysia, the Chinese New Year is also celebrated, which takes place at the end of January and beginning of February.
