As the rest of the world watches on enchanted, the colour, the glory and the rhythm of the celebrations of the Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival begin with the new moon, and continues in its charming glory for 15 festive days. Here the dearly departed are fondly remembered and honoured, family ties are strengthened, relationships renewed, household gods worshipped and all evil is swept away. Long long ago, as the folk lore describes, the horrifying monster of ‘Nian’ that held captive the villagers of China in its fearsome grip, was confronted by an old man, whose wise words drove the dreaded beast in to the deep dark jungle, freeing the people from their worst fear. So great was the gladness that the celebrations …

Just like other people around the globe, Indonesians welcome the New Year with great joy and festivity. The excitement naturally begins on December 31st, when Indonesians like their counterparts in other countries prepare to bid farewell to the year that is drawing to a close. It is a time for reflection on the twelve months that have passed by, and to celebrate the successes and milestones that have been achieved. In Indonesia many of the public festivities are centred on the urban areas, where families and friends get together to party the night away. Groups of people get together in car and motorcycle convoys in which they roam the streets of the big cities, notably the capital Jakarta. Since many Indonesians work on New Year’s …

If you are looking for a unique way to ring in the New Year, then consider heading to the Maldives where you can combine a fun holiday in the tropics with much celebration and festivities. An ideal option would be to stay at a Maldives island resort such as Kuramathi Island where you can herald in the New Year in an intimate getaway by the sea. This luxurious resort features charming Maldives villas that provide an ideal home away from home in this tropical paradise. Those wanting to witness the pomp and pageantry of locals during New Year can head to such destinations as the capital Male, where one can witness a variety of festivities. December 31st see the city streets come alive at night with dancers, drummers and …

The celebration of the New Year on the 1st of January each year is in fact according to only one calendar: the Gregorian calendar, the existing calendar which has been unofficially acknowledged by a number of high profile institutions thereby making it the most accepted. While the Gregorian calendar remains the most accepted, a number of countries, depending on the regions they belong to, celebrate the dawn of the New Year according to various calendars. As a result, nations of the world celebrate this event at different times of the year such as the Cambodian New Year, the Filipino New Year Celebration, the Islamic New Year, the Sinhalese New Year, Baby New Year, Twelve Grapes and more. The Chinese New year is one such celebration …

Bali is one of the most beautiful and exotic places in the world to visit and with its rich culture, picturesque settings and comfortable tropical climate it is a holiday destination like nothing else that visitors will find. All year round it is a fantastic place to be, but for those who are deciding when to head over to the country, New Year’s Eve is an exciting option. Where better to greet the New Year than on an adventure to one of the most amazing destinations in the world. The island truly comes alive for the celebration, adding more spice to the event. Those in Seminyak Bali for the December 31st celebrations will find plenty of ways to spend their night in the area as …

The National Day of any nation is a day of pride and joy. It is a day when a nation’s strength is celebrated by the unity of its people, and serves as an important reminder of a shared national identity. For nations that have known the yoke of colonial rule, it is a day where first independence is remembered. The United Arab Emirates, just like most other nations, has a national day. Back in the day, it was the British Protectorate Treaties that ruled this nation. On the 2nd of December 1971, the UAE for the first time was formally nationalized from these treaties and from this point on, the nation began functioning under its own jurisdiction, and eventually unified the different Emirates in to …