New Year's Day

Although Many countries and many religions have their own calendars and observe them religiously, but Gregorian calendar is in use everywhere and is referred to in all everyday affairs.

In the USA, this day has several activities lined up for her people.

(1) A Rose Parade, of bands and floats, is organized by many organization - national and commercial, in Pasadena, California. It starts about 11.00 AM Eastern Time (New York time) and ends about 1.00 PM. The specialty of the floats is that they are made of all natural fibers, flowers, leaves, stalks seeds, barks, etc etc. The maker of those floats start making them months before. This Parade goes up to 5 miles and ends in the Rose Bowl Stadium. where the evening Rose Bowl Game starts at 5.00 PM. It was the 124th Parade celebrated in 2013. It is always held on January 1, except if the New Year (January 1) falls on Sunday. Its tickets are sold from US$45 to US$90.

(2) At its destination then starts the Rose Bowl Football match at Rose Bowl Stadium in the evening at 5.00 PM. (See also Super Bowl Football Match). In 2013 its was 99th Rose Bowl Football match.

Chinese New Year
The Chinese Zodiac, known as Sheng Xiao, is based on a twelve year cycle, each year in that cycle related to an animal sign. The Horse is the seventh sign of the Chinese Zodiac. In Chinese culture, the Horse is a symbol of nobility, class, speed and perseverance. People born in the Year of the Horse are smart, fabulous speakers who have a gift for getting through to other people. According to the Chinese Zodiac calendar, 2014 is the year of horse.

Which major city of the world celebrates the New Year first?
(1) Sydney, Australia
(2) Seoul, South Korea
(3) Beijing, China
(4) Auckland, New Zealand
(5) Hawaii, USA

The first major city to see the New Year was Auckland, New Zealand. Because of the division of the globe into time zones, the new year moves progressively around the globe as the start of the day ushers in the New Year.

Due to time zones, which of the following locations celebrates the New Year first?
(1) Sydney, Australia,  (2) Samoa Islands,  (3) Bangkok,  Thailand,  (4) Singapore

Samoa and Christmas Island in Kiribati were the first to welcome a New Year. Samoa is a South Pacific island nation located about 8,000 kilometers southeast of Manila. It used to be one of the last places in the world to celebrate the New Year, being the last spot on earth to see the sunset. But it became the first place to see the sunrise on Dec. 31, 2011, by wiping a full day, Dec. 30, 2011, off its calendar in order to align itself with its Asian trading partners. This changed the time zone from UTC-11 to UTC+13 (and from UTC-10 to UTC+14 during daylight saving time).

Which city drops the 800 pound peach at midnight to ring the New Year?
(1) Portland,  (2) Atlanta,  (3) Miami,  (4) Phoenix

The Peach Drop is the name of the annual celebration on New Year's Eve held at historic Underground Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia. The peach weighs 800 pounds and is 8 feet tall, 8 feet wide. During the celebration, it is lowered at 11:59 p.m. EST. It takes 58 seconds for the peach to descend the 138 foot tower of lights and arrive at the foot of the tower, precisely at the moment the new year arrives.

What is the Jewish New Year called?
(1) Rosh Hashanah
(2) Yom Kippur
(3) Bar Mitzvah
(4) Hanukkah
(5) Passover

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah is a two day celebration which begins on the first day of Tishrei, the first month of the Jewish calendar. The common greeting on Rosh Hashanah is "Shanah Tovah", which, in Hebrew, means "(Have) a good year".

How the New Year is celebrated in Spain? What is traditionally eaten there at midnight stroke?
(1) Grapes,  (2) Almonds,  (3) Olives,  (4) Chocolate

Grapes. Traditionally they eat 12 grapes at midnight - one grape for each month. This tradition began in 1909 as a way to consume the grape surplus in the Alicante region.

Denmark - people breaking dishes