LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Japanese New Year: New Year's Eve
built 628 days ago
One ancient New Year's custom was to make as much noise as possible to scare evil spirits away from the new year. by the 1700's colonists in America were continuing this tradition with cheers, shouting and using noisemakers on New Year's Eve. These traditions, along with lighting firecrackers, continues to the present day. American celebrations for the New Year begin on the night of December 31. Many people attend parties where at midnight they make noise, cheer, clap, kiss one another and sing an old Scottish song, "Auld Lang Syne."
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On New Year's Eve, many Japanese gather in front of their televisions to watch "Red and White Singing Contest," a competition of some of the country's most famous singing stars. Women make up the red team and men, the white team. Celebrity judges and the audience pick winners of the contest.
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New Year's eve and the first three days. The Vietnamese celebrate Tết, on the same day as the Chinese calendar. However, because of the time difference between Hanoi and Beijing (China), Tết may differ from the Chinese calendar by a day every 22nd or 23rd year.
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New Year's Eve is a big occasion and one of the highlights of the season. Buckwheat noodles are eaten during the day or the evening to ensure prosperity and longevity. The noodles are called toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles for passing the year) and are eaten at a buckwheat noodle shop ( sobaya ) or at home.
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[O]n New Year's Eve, a pine decoration known as Kadomatsu is set up on both sides of the front entrance. Some homes have elaborate Kadomatsu with bamboo added to the pine, as well as plum branches. The Kadomatsu is thought to welcome good luck into the house.
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In New Year's eve, people often go out to eat toshikoshi soba, long buckwheat noodles. Toshikoshi soba belongs to new year, as christmas cake to Christmas, or watermelon to humid afternoons in summer.
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New Year's Eve