各国新年传统及庆祝活动

the whole range of celebration of the new year's day basically stems from the various ways ancient societies used to greet the new harvest seasons. symbolically，new year signifies a renewal of life. hence，the spirit of celebration for the regeneration，while discarding the old and worn out. the customs and practices，though modified through the centuries，have still their distinctive strains in the ways we welcome each onrushing year.

　　given here are some instances of new year's day revelry with their historical trails：

　　the mid-night cacophony 喧闹新年夜（赶走邪恶的幽灵）

　　the idea of making deafening noise is to drive away the evil spirits who flocked to the living at this climactic season with a great wailing of horns and shouts and beating of drums. this is why at the stroke of midnight we hear the deafening cacophony of sirens，car horns，boat whistles，party horns，church bells，drums，pots and pans - anything that serves the purpose of producing a devil chasing din.

　　new year's resolutions 新年决定（新一年的承诺或决心）

　　that tradition dates back to the early babylonians. popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. the early babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

　　the spectacular parades 玫瑰花车游行（同期会举行玫瑰杯足球赛）

　　the tournament of roses parade dates back to 1886. in that year，members of the valley hunt club decorated their carriages with flowers. it celebrated the ripening of the orange crop in california.

　　although the rose bowl football game was first played as a part of the tournament of roses in 1902，it was replaced by roman chariot races the following year. in 1916，the football game returned as the sports centerpiece of the festival.

　　the booze bash 盛宴狂欢（再现宇宙有序状态前的混沌）

　　yet another familiar practice，though not quite encouraging. the unbridled drinking bash on the new year's eve，is also a secular leftover of a rite that was once religious in character. the original spirit has been a personal re-enacting of the chaotic world that existed before the ordered cosmos was created by god.

　　the gatherings 家庭聚会（祈望来年好运）

　　traditionally，it was thought that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. for that reason，it has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends. parties often last into the middle of the night after the ringing in of a new year. many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck，because it symbolizes “coming full circle，” completing a year's cycle.