New Year Celebrations around the World

New Year Celebrations around the World As one year changes to the next, many countries around the world choose to celebrate the start of the New Year with special food. However, different countries eat very different things to enjoy the occasion. Special: remarkable, unique, exceptional, particular Occasion: a particular event

In Mexico, for example, many people eat out at the many restaurants around the country on New Year's Day. The most popular dish is always tamales, which is made from meat, cheese and vegetables that are cooked inside banana leaves. However, when the New Year arrives in Japan, people make special little cakes from sweet rice. Then they get together with their family and friends to eat them and celebrate.

In Spain, it is traditional to eat twelve grapes to welcome the New Year. The Spanish people eat this particular amount of grapes late at night, when the clock reaches midnight, or twelve o'clock, and they have one grape for each hour of the clock. In Poland, people start to prepare a fish called 'herring at least five days before they eat it. They put the fish in a jar with water, onions and sugar and then they wait for the big day. Finally, in Greenland, it is traditional for the men to serve a special meal of whale for women to enjoy. It takes months for the meat to become ready to eat and people say the smell is very strong.