Date: 1-1-01
ANNOUNCER:
NOW A VOA SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAM FOR THE NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAY.
HERE IS MAURICE JOYCE.
(MUSIC)
NARRATOR:
JANUARY FIRST.
THE BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR.
AS FAR BACK IN
HISTORY AS WE CAN TELL, PEOPLE HAVE CELEBRATED THE START OF A NEW
YEAR.
THE PEOPLE OF ANCIENT EGYPT BEGAN THEIR NEW YEAR IN SUMMER.
THAT
IS WHEN THE NILE RIVER FLOODED ITS BANKS, BRINGING WATER AND
FERTILITY TO THE LAND.
THE PEOPLE OF ANCIENT BABYLONIA AND
PERSIA BEGAN THEIR NEW YEAR ON MARCH TWENTY-FIRST, THE FIRST DAY
OF SPRING.
AND, SOME NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS BEGAN THEIR NEW
YEAR WHEN THE NUTS OF THE OAK TREE BECAME RIPE.
THAT WAS USUALLY
IN LATE SUMMER.
NOW, ALMOST EVERYONE CELEBRATES NEW YEAR'S DAY ON JANUARY FIRST.
TODAY, AS BEFORE, PEOPLE OBSERVE THE NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAY IN MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE ANCIENT BABYLONIANS CELEBRATED BY FORCING THEIR KING TO GIVE
UP HIS CROWN AND ROYAL CLOTHING.
THEY MADE HIM GET DOWN ON HIS
KNEES AND ADMIT ALL THE MISTAKES HE HAD MADE DURING THE PAST
YEAR.
THIS IDEA OF ADMITTING WRONGS AND FINISHING THE BUSINESS OF THE
OLD YEAR IS FOUND IN MANY SOCIETIES AT NEW YEAR'S.
SO IS THE
IDEA OF MAKING RESOLUTIONS.
A RESOLUTION IS A PROMISE TO CHANGE
YOUR WAYS.
TO STOP SMOKING, FOR EXAMPLE.
OR TO GET MORE
PHYSICAL EXERCISE.
NOISE-MAKING IS ANOTHER ANCIENT CUSTOM AT THE NEW YEAR.
THE
NOISE IS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO CHASE AWAY THE EVIL SPIRITS OF
THE OLD YEAR.
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD DO DIFFERENT THINGS TO
MAKE A LOT OF NOISE.
THEY MAY HIT STICKS TOGETHER.
OR BEAT ON
DRUMS.
OR BLOW HORNS.
OR EXPLODE FIREWORKS.
AMERICANS CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR IN MANY WAYS.
MOST DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO WORK OR SCHOOL.
SO THEY VISIT FAMILY
AND FRIENDS.
ATTEND CHURCH SERVICES.
SHARE A HOLIDAY MEAL.
OR
WATCH NEW YEAR'S PARADES ON TELEVISION.
TWO OF THE MOST FAMOUS
PARADES ARE THE MUMMER'S PARADE IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,
AND THE ROSE PARADE IN PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.
BOTH HAVE EXISTED
FOR MANY YEARS.
AMERICANS ALSO WATCH FOOTBALL ON TELEVISION ON NEW YEAR'S DAY.
MOST YEARS, UNIVERSITY TEAMS PLAY IN SPECIAL HOLIDAY GAMES.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BUSY AT WORK OR SCHOOL, NEW YEAR'S MAY BE
A DAY OF REST.
THEY SPEND THE TIME THINKING ABOUT, AND PREPARING
FOR, THE DEMANDS OF THE NEW YEAR.