New Year

New Year’s Day is the first day of the year, January 1st. In presentday, it is probably the most celebrated public holiday in many countries. It isa celebration of the old year and the new one to come. It is traditional togreet the New Year at midnight and then celebrate at least the few minutes inthe company of friends and family. Many people make New Year resolutions（新年决心，愿望）, which is a list of decision about how they will live during the coming year.

In Britain, parties at New Year’s Eve are the time for friends. Thousandsgather along the Embankment on the River Thames to watch the fireworks around the London Eye. The New Year officially starts when Big Ben strikes twelve. TheNew Year’s Eve, called Hogmanay（苏格兰的除夕）in Scotland, is given particular importance. The Hogmanay street party in Edinburgh is actually much larger than that in Trafalgar Square.

      In the United States, each year huge crowds of people celebrate New Year’s Eve in Time Square in New York City. At midnight, confetti is thrown from the tall buildings surrounding the square. At 11:59 pm,the giant Time Square Ball located high above the Square begins its descent asmillion of voices unite to count down the final seconds of the year, and celebrate the beginning of a new year full of hopes, challenges, changes and dreams. Auld Lang Syne is sung at the stroke of midnight to bring in the new year.