Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Huntington Beach Library :: Celebrating the New Year Around the World

Celebrating the New Year around the world
Huntington Beach Public Library Literacy Volunteers
OPEN DOORS: Jan 2015

As we drift past the December holidays and move into the New Year, HB Literacy Volunteers is so pleased to bring New Year stories from our learners and tutors.

New Year's Eve in Korea by Jessica S.
People listen to Jeya Bell's sound on TV or radio. Some people go to the place where Jeya Bell is. The bell is hit 33 times at midnight on January 1. The bell is in Bosingak (Buddhist temple) in Seoul.
Usually, a bell is a symbol of defeating the evil and of greeting a happy event, and has been used for a long time to start and end with informing signal.

The meaning of hitting the bell is praying for the health and longevity for the people, and the country's peace. And the meaning of 33 times is that people dream trying to touch the sky (name: 33 sky - people think there are several sky in the sky) which the patron of Buddhism or Korea's initiator lives.

New Year in Apaxtla de Castrejon, Guerrero by Domingo C.
Hello, I want to share part of my life that I lived in my country, Mexico. I am from Guerrero, in the town of Apaxtla de Castrejon.

I remember that in the month of December there were many parties and las posadas that made me feel close to God. Then el nacimiento and the beautiful story of the baby Jesus. All the days we celebrated with dancing. I liked so much meeting with my friends, having sober fun.

On Christmas, the family and friends get together for dinner, and we do the same on the 31st of December to wait for the new year. The older people would tell us when the new year started because they looked at the sky for a light that lit up the whole town, and it made them happy. My aunts said the light was a good sign for the sowing.

These are beautiful memories for me, as well as my memories of parents and brothers and sisters.

Read from more of our learners about new year traditions around the world.