History of New Year's Eve and Fun Quiz

By Cornell Christianson (Open Post)

New Year’s Eve is the final day of the year for the Gregorian calendar and is celebrated with parties welcoming the transition of the year at midnight.

There is an ancient tradition that the coming year’s luck could be affected by what people do or eat on the first day of the year, so it became common to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends to ring the New Year in.

Using noise to welcome in a New Year goes back to ancient times when it was felt that noise scared off evil spirits.

It is customary to kiss the one you love or hope to love at midnight as if to say, ”Congratulations to us for making it through another year.”

NEW YEAR’S QUIZ

1. What is the first country to celebrate New Year’s Eve each year? Hint: Where is the International Date Line?

ANSWER: New Zealand, which is just west of the International Date Line. Australia is second.

2. January is named after what Roman god who had two faces so he could look ahead to the future and back at the past at the same time? Is it Jupiter, Janus, or Jason?

ANSWER: Janus, the two-faced Roman god of gates, doors, beginnings, and endings.

3. Up until 1750, what day was New Year’s Day? January 1, February 15 or March 21?

ANSWER: March 21. Up until 1750, spring was considered the beginning of the year which is March 21. But in 1750, the new Gregorian calendar was adopted and January 1 became the beginning of the year.

4. “Toasting” began in what country? England, France or America?

ANSWER: England. During the reign of Elizabeth I, it became the custom to spice a piece of toasted bread by dipping the toast in one’s wine. They would then drink the wine and eat the toast; thus, the custom became known as “toasting.”

5. On New Year’s Day, what is the name of the parade held in Pasadena, CA?

ANSWER: Tournament of Roses Parade

6. Auld Lang Syne is language from what country? Wales, Scotland or Ireland?

ANSWER: Scotland

7. What do the words “Auld Lang Syne” mean? “Old long ago”, “Long long ago” or “In olden days.”

ANSWER: All of them

8. The song is sung in a famous scene at the end of what 1946 movie?

ANSWER: It’s a Wonderful Life

9. What does the song Auld Lang Syne mean?

ANSWER: Just forget about the past and look ahead to the New Year with hope.

10. How do you say Happy New Year in:

Spanish:

ANSWER: Feliz año Nuevo

French:

ANSWER: Bonne année

Italian:

ANSWER: Buon anno

Hebrew:

ANSWER: Shana Tova

11. For the last 34 years, who has hosted New Year’s Rockin Eve on ABC? Regis Philbin, Jay Leno or Dick Clark?

ANSWER: Dick Clark

12. From 1929 to1976, what band leader led his Royal Canadians from the Waldorf-Astoria ballroom? Les Brown, Guy Lombardo or Count Basie?

ANSWER: Guy Lombardo

13. What is the diameter of the ball that drops in Times Square? 6 feet,10 feet or 100 feet?

ANSWER: 6 feet and it weighs 1,000 pounds

14. What is the ball made of? Mirrored Glass, Waterford Crystal or Aluminium Foil?

ANSWER: Waterford Crystal

15. How long does it take for the ball to drop in Times Square? 5 minutes, 1 minute or 10 seconds?

ANSWER: 1 minute

16. What year did the ball begin dropping in Times Square? 1907, 1935 or 1950?

ANSWER: 1907, it went down a flag pole

17. In London on New Year’s Eve, they wait for what clock to strike midnight?

ANSWER: Big Ben

18. In the tradition of the ball dropping in Times Square, what do they drop in:

Orange County, California?

ANSWER: Orange

Miami, Florida?

ANSWER: Orange

Atlanta, Georgia?

ANSWER: Peach

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?

ANSWER: A Heinz Ketchup bottle

Hershey, Pennsylvania?

ANSWER: A giant M&M

19. Is New York’s Times Square the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration?

ANSWER: No, it has only half a million people. Rio de Janeiro has 2 million people on its Copacabana Beach celebration.

20. What is the traditional southern New Year’s dish which has the saying, “Eat peas on New Year’s day to have plenty of everything the rest of the year.”

ANSWER: Hoppin’ John black eyed peas and ham hocks