France
In contrast to New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day in France is marked by an atmosphere of tranquility. Since the countdown is celebrated with great pomp and circumstance, people relax and unwind from the fatigue of the previous day. Since there is no custom of celebrating New Year’s like in Japan, it may seem no different from an ordinary holiday. There is also no custom of celebrating three days of the year, so unless January 2 falls on a weekend, it is the first day of work in France.
In France, New Year’s Day is not celebrated in a special way, but there is a dish that is traditionally eaten. It is lentil soup.
By eating something simple at the beginning of the year, French people hope that the year will be fruitful and prosperous.
Also in France, “Galette des rois” is a traditional pastry eaten on New Year’s Day.
Although the dough varies from region to region, such as pie or brioche, it is characterized using almond cream and the inclusion of a small doll called a “fève” inside.
When a family member cuts a “Galette des rois” into pieces, if there is a doll inside, that person is said to have good luck for the whole year. It has become an indispensable pastry for New Year’s celebrations in France.
Germany
January 1 is also a national holiday in Germany. However, since it is customary to have a party on New Year’s Eve to prepare for the New Year and to celebrate by opening a bottle of champagne and setting off fireworks at the same time as the New Year, many people in Germany use New Year’s Day as a day to rest and recover from the fatigue of the previous day. Some fireworks are set off and others are set off in the streets. Some fireworks are set off and others are like Japanese sparklers, but the sound of the fireworks never dies down until dawn.
Germany is famous for “Stollen,” a bread eaten at Christmas, but they also eat bread at New Year’s. The New Year’s bread is called “Neujahrsbrezel” (German New Year’s Pretzel), which is made by weaving bread dough into a circle with a rustic flavor.
There is also a German bread eaten on New Year’s Eve, called “Berliner Pfannkuchen.
It is a kind of fried bread with jam. Overall, the German New Year’s celebration and meal is characterized by its simplicity.
China
In China, they celebrate the start of the new year according to China’s lunar calendar.
It is also called Lunar New Year. People honor ancestors, feast, and visit family.
This year, it starts on January 22nd.
As a tradition, people put 春聯 or 倒福 on the door like in the picture above.
It is decorated with words of good luck and wishes for happiness in the new year.
There are a few foods that cannot miss during Chinese New Year.
The first one is fish. Fish is the same sound as the Chinese word “yu,” which means to have a surplus, and is a standard item as a good luck charm. Fish is often served with its head instead of fillets.
Another indispensable dish is dumplings. They’re often filled with ingredients that bring good luck, such as jujubes, which are believed to bring happiness, and peanuts, which are believed to promote good health and longevity. The family makes the dumplings on New Year’s Eve and celebrates the New Year by eating them after midnight when the date changes to Chinese New Year.
America
The most famous American new year event is the Times Square countdown live. Almost a million people join this festival and celebrate the beginning of the new year together. It has a history dating back to around 1907, and this event has become a much bigger event than it was when it first started. Now, celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Mariah Carey perform on this event.
Traditional Americans celebrate the new year with lucky foods. They include pork which stands for growth and wealth, cabbage and beans, which symbolize money, and circular foods like bagels, doughnuts, cakes, and biscuits, which symbolize coming full circle and frequently have baked-in trinkets or money.
The picture above is the dish called Hoppin’ John, a traditional New Year’s dish popular in the American South that includes black-eyed peas, cabbage, ham, sweet potatoes, and cornbread if you wish to mix them all.