New Year's Day in the Philippines

History and Traditions: New Year's Day, known as "Bagong Taon," is a highly significant and festive holiday in the Philippines. It is celebrated on January 1st, marking the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. The history of New Year's Day as a celebration dates back to ancient civilizations that used various calendars. With Spanish colonization, which lasted for more than three centuries, Filipinos adopted many Western customs, including the Gregorian calendar.

Filipino traditions for New Year's Day are a blend of indigenous, Spanish-influenced, and modern practices. A key tradition is "Media Noche," a midnight feast that symbolizes hopes for prosperity in the coming year. Families gather to share this meal in anticipation of midnight.

What People Do:

• Noise-making: To ward off evil spirits and bring good luck, Filipinos make a lot of noise at midnight using firecrackers (despite government restrictions due to safety concerns), horns, pots, pans, and even car horns.
• Round Things: Emphasizing circles symbolizes money and prosperity; thus, people wear polka dots and have round fruits on their tables.
• Jumping at Midnight: Children jump at the stroke of midnight with the belief that it will make them taller.
• Open Doors: Doors and windows are opened to let good fortune enter.
• Money Rituals: Some people hold coins in their hands or scatter coins around their homes for financial prosperity.
• First Visitor: The first person who enters a home after midnight is believed to bring either good or bad luck depending on their inherent luck.

New Year's Day festivities reflect hope for a better year ahead with practices designed to bring health, wealth, and happiness. It's a public holiday filled with joyous celebrations among family and friends.