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VOICE ONE:
On December thirty-first, Americans and other people around theworld welcome the New Year. I’m Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. We tell about New Year celebrations andtraditions on our report today on the VOA Special English program,THIS IS AMERICA.
VOICE ONE:
It is December thirty-first in New York City. Hundreds ofthousands of people are gathered in Times Square. They stand closetogether, waiting in the cold darkness for midnight. That is thetime when the old year dies and the New Year is born.
The people count the seconds untilthe New Year arrives. “Ten … nine …eight …” A huge glass New Year’sball falls through the darkness. Someone says the ball looks likethousands of burning stars. Someone else says it looks like a huge,bright piece of snow.
When the ball reaches the ground, the New Year has begun. Peopleshout “Happy New Year!” They throw tiny pieces of colorful paperinto the air. They dance. They sing a traditional New Year song offriendship called “Auld Lang Syne.”
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VOICE TWO:
Each year, people arrive in Times Square while it is stilldaylight. After dark, at about six o’clock, the New Year’s Eve ballis raised to its highest position. By this time thousands of peopleare gathered for the celebration ahead. They say “ooh” and “aah”when the electric company turns on the thousands of little lights inthe ball.
Then everyone waits for the beautiful object to fall. Familiesand friends attend this event together. People who have not met talkas if they had known each other all their lives. Many in the crowdjump around to keep warm.
VOICE ONE:
The first New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square took placein nineteen-oh-four. The owners of a building on Times Square heldthat first party on top of their building. Three years later, a NewYear’s ball was dropped from the top of the building for the firsttime.
The ball has been dropped every year except for two years duringWorld War Two. In nineteen-forty-two and nineteen-forty-three,crowds still gathered in Times Square. They observed a moment ofsilence. After that, bells rang from a vehicle in Times Square.
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VOICE TWO:
People do not pay to attend the Times Square celebration. Butother New Year’s Eve celebrations can be costly. Many Americansobserve the holiday at public eating and drinking places.
Some people like to see the New Year arrive while traveling byboat. For example, people in Chicago, Illinois, can choose fromseveral special holiday trips on Lake Michigan. These cruisesinclude dinner and dancing to music performed by a band. In SanDiego, California, a ship company offers New Year’s Eve on thePacific Ocean. It costs more than one-hundred dollars for eachperson.
Other Americans have parties at home and invite all theirfriends. Many of these events are noisy. People shout and sing. Theyoften blow on small noisemakers when the New Year arrives atmidnight. They kiss their husband or wife or the person they arewith. They dance to music. Other Americans spend a quiet evening athome. They drink Champagne at midnight to welcome the New Year.Here, the Persuasions sing “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”
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VOICE ONE:
Some people drink too much alcohol at New Year’s Evecelebrations. This can lead to tragic results if a person drinks toomuch and then drives a car. The National Safety Council sayshundreds of people die in road accidents during the holiday.
In recent years, the danger of accidents has resulted in a newtradition called the “designated driver.” One person among a groupof friends drinks little or no alcohol during New Year’s Evecelebrations. Then this designated driver can safely drive the otherpeople home. Many American cities also offer free taxi service onNew Year’s Eve to take people home safely.
VOICE TWO:
Other Americans observe the coming of the New Year at eventswithout alcohol. More than two-hundred-twenty American cities holdthese First Night celebrations. Artists in Boston, Massachusettsstarted the tradition of First Night celebrations innineteen-seventy-six. They wanted to observe the coming of a NewYear. But they did not want to hold noisy drinking parties. So theyorganized music, art and other events to observe the holiday.
People in Boston can choose among two-hundred-fifty performancesand exhibits around the city. People can look at huge statues madeof ice. Families can watch fireworks early in the evening. Later,fireworks light the midnight sky over Boston Harbor.
VOICE ONE:
After the celebrations of New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day is oftena quiet day for many Americans. Many people spend the first day ofthe New Year at home. Some watch football games on television. Someof the top university teams play in these games. The most famous ofthese “bowl” games is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The Tournament of Roses Parade includes many vehicles calledfloats. The floats are covered completely with paper or flowers.Businesses, social groups, universities and the city government paythousands of dollars to build these floats. Millions of people watchthe colorful event on television.
VOICE TWO:
Another famous parade takes place on the opposite side of thenation, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This city holds a yearlyMummers Parade on New Year’s Day. The Mummers make unusual costumesto wear. They cover their faces with masks. They march through thecity and play musical instruments.
VOICE ONE:
Sometimes families invite friends to visit them on New Year’sDay. They serve drinks and food at these open houses and wisheveryone a good year.
In some parts of the country, American children and adults stillfollow an ancient custom on January first. They go from house tohouse singing to friends and neighbors. Americans borrowed thistradition from ancient peoples in what is now Britain and Europe.One popular song wishes people love and joy in the New Year.
VOICE TWO:
Many Americans follow traditions meant to bring good luck in theNew Year. Some people wear special clothes or eat special foods. Forexample, men and women who want to find their true love wear yellowclothing. Others carry silver in hopes of finding money.
People in many parts of the United States celebrate the New Yearby eating black-eyed peas. Cabbage is another vegetable that peopleeat to bring good luck and money. In the South, people prepare andeat a traditional food called Hoppin’ John. It contains peas,onions, bacon and rice. It has this unusual name because long agochildren were said to like it so much they hopped around the roomwhile waiting for it to cook.
Asian-Americans sometimes make traditional fortune cookies. Thesesweets contain small pieces of paper telling about a person’sfuture. Some Americans from Spanish-speaking families follow atradition for the New Year that involves fruit. On January First,they stand on a chair and eat grapes.
Whatever you do celebrate the New Year, we wish you a very happyone.
VOICE ONE:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced byCynthia Kirk. I’m Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another reportabout life in the United States on the VOA Special English program,THIS IS AMERICA.