New Year's Worldwide

The Rio New Year's Eve is often a time spent with family; most parties don't get started until after the clock strikes 12. People living in apartments bordering the beach will typically host parties and watch the fireworks from their apartment balconies. Others head to dance clubs after the beach.

"One of the big takeaways is that Rio's not only this gorgeous metropolitan city, but there's also tradition ingrained," Claudio says. "Everyone has a lot of beliefs, and at the end of the day it's about family and tradition -- that's what makes it really beautiful."

Ushering In Shogatsu

Hours earlier, in the eastern half of the world, Tokyo will be one of the first cities to ring in the new year -- literally.

At midnight, crowds gather at the "watch-night bell" in Tokyo, which will be struck 108 times to rid people of the 108 earthly sins they are said to possess, according to Buddhist scriptures.

As the old year passes, the chimes and peals of temple bells reverberate all over Japan as millions of people line up to ring the bells to summon the new year, says a 28-year-old Japan native who has been living in Manhattan for more than two years. The lines, she recalls, can be up to two hours long.

On the streets of Tokyo, people gather to watch dezomeshiki, a stunt-filled parade of the city's firemen.

Before calling in the new year, the Japanese will spend the night of Dec. 31, also called omisoka, watching Kohaku Uta Gassen, an annual televised music show.

Toward the end of the night, people eat buckwheat noodles called toshikoshi soba, also known as "year-crossing" noodles, for a prosperous and long life.

The New Year, or Shogatsu, is considered by many the most important holiday in Japan, and accordingly, preparations for the celebration begin weeks in advance: The Japanese clean their homes, put up rice-straw and bamboo decorations, send out New Year's cards and hold bonenkai, or "year-forgetting," parties.

On the first day of the year, many awake early to view the first sunrise, as it is traditionally considered the right way to start the year. During the day, people also visit temples and shrines to pray for a good and healthy year.

On the night of Jan. 2, the Japanese go to sleep hoping to dream of Mt. Fuji, hawks or eggplants, as dreaming of these is considered an omen for a lucky year ahead. (These are regarded as lucky because Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, hawks fly high, and eggplants were highly priced in ancient Japan, when the tradition was first enacted.)

	A Sampling of Osechi

During this time, Japanese children receive otoshidama, or little envelopes with pocket money, and celebrate by flying kites, spinning wooden tops and playing cards.

Locals feast on special New Year's dishes called osechi, consisting of yellow fish eggs marinated in a dashi, sake and soy-sauce broth; sweet black beans; and umami-rich kombu rolls stuffed with salmon and simmered in dashi, mirin, sugar and soy sauce.

Japanese businesses remain closed through Jan. 3, and the "whole city is very quiet" for the first three days of the year, the native says. As the days are said to be representative of the year to come, people generally gather with family and friends and spend the time in tranquil celebration.

Wherever your New Year's Eve is spent, it will be a memorable night of festivities with family and friends, in which everyone can rejoice in the year past and look forward to a new beginning.

---

Enjoy the Good Life? Email us with what you'd like to see in future articles.