English New Year
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
These are the opening lines of one of the most famous English New Year poems, by Alfred Lord
Tennyson. It is traditional to have a big party, watch television and wait for the great bell of Big
Ben in London to chime midnight on 31st December. At the first stroke of midnight everyone joins
hands and sings an old Scottish song, Auld Lang Syne, and drinks to the New Year. If you are in
London, you can go and watch the spectacular fireworks displays at the London Eye. More than a
quarter of a million people go to see them every year. What happens if it rains or snows? It doesn’t
matter!
In many parts of the United Kingdom, immediately after midnight, the tradition of ‘first-footing’
takes place. In Scotland, the first person to knock on your door must bring bread, salt and a piece of
coal, to ensure food, warmth and good luck for the coming year. In Wales, however, if a woman or
a red-haired man is the first person to enter your house, it brings bad luck!
New Year’s Day is the day to make New Year’s Resolutions. These are promises you make to
yourself. Sometimes people promise to do more exercise, eat fewer sweets, save money… Many
students promise to do their homework on time, not to be late for school, get on better with their
parents… Most of these Resolutions don’t last very long, but it is a good idea to make them, and if
you have a lot of self-discipline, perhaps you can keep them! Try it and see.
The holiday period covering Christmas and New Year officially ends on 6th January, the day of the
Three Kings, or Epiphany. It is believed that William Shakespeare wrote his comedy, Twelfth Night,
for the court of Queen Elizabeth I, to celebrate the end of the holiday. It was certainly performed in
front of the Queen. In England, all Christmas decorations must be removed by 6th January or there
will be bad luck in the house. In the past, the holly, mistletoe and the tree were burnt. This was
necessary as January is often the coldest month of the year in the United Kingdom. Snow comes to
many areas, and adults and children enjoy making snowmen, sledging and keeping out the cold!
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