NEW YEAR IN THE PHILIPPINES

http://www.123newyear.com/newyear-customs/new-year-customs-philippines.html

New Year Customs In Philippines

In Philippines the families gather together at midnight on New Year and eat a midnight meal. This is believed by Filipinos that it would ensure plenty of food in the coming year. The children follow a custom of jumping up and down 10 times to grow tall in the coming year.

Fireworks are an important part of the New Year celebrations. The Filipinos set off fireworks as a symbol of happiness on New Year. The fireworks are seen as a traditional way to greet the New Year with joy.

The preparations for the New Year begin a few days ahead. Although the customs of celebrating New Year in Philippines may have changed a little but the spirit of the New Year celebrations remains the same.

The custom of wishing everyone luck and happiness and seeing off the old year and welcoming the New Year is still prevalent in Philippines. Dance music and other amusements are the other customs that Filipinos follow on New Year.

Media Noche or midnight is an important custom that is followed. On New Year's Eve families gather to have this midnight mass. This midnight mass is believed by the people in Philippines to symbolize their hopes for a prosperous New Year. The custom of making noise and merrymaking is not only meant to have all the fun on New Year but also to drive away evil spirits.
The Filipinos believe banging on pots and pans and blowing on car horns to be the safer methods of merrymaking on New Year.

The wide populaces in Philippines believe displaying colorful fruit and wearing clothes with dots and other circular designs would be lucky as they symbolize money. Just like the New Year custom of other countries Filipinos believe in following the custom of eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year. This would bring them good luck for the coming year. Opening the doors during the first day of the New Year is a custom that is followed to bring good luck for the New Year.