Romania Edition
Ano Viejo leads today's complete edition for Romania.
Daily Edition
Official observances, world days, local context, and everyday celebrations for people who need something worth reading, sharing, or talking about today.
Not an official holiday, but try finding someone at work. The country gathers at the coast to watch the Valparaiso fireworks, eats twelve grapes at midnight for twelve wishes, and toasts with champagne. The Valparaiso show is three kilometers of fireworks over the bay and it is spectacular. The grapes are mandatory.
The fireworks over Sydney Harbour are watched by a billion people worldwide and by a hundred thousand people standing in the Domain with warm champagne and sore feet. The countdown is shouted. The kiss at midnight is given. And someone has already set off illegal fireworks in the suburban backyard and the dog is under the bed.
Another midnight celebration with the whole family. The leftover pan dulce from Christmas reappears, the sidra is still flowing, and someone counts down from ten. Paper fireworks in the street, hugs all around, and the unshakeable feeling that next year, surely, things will be better. "El ano que viene si," the eternal Argentine hope.
The last day of the year is celebrated with fireworks over Piata Unirii in Bucharest, and the traditional meal of sarmale, mamaliga, and cozonac. The new year is greeted with the phrase "Un an nou fericit!" (Happy New Year!), and the fireworks are spectacular. In the villages, the tradition is to go "uraturi" (caroling for the new year), and the young men go from house to house singing "La multi ani" (Many happy years) and receiving gifts of money and food. The PluguÅŸorul (the little plow) is a traditional New Year's poem that is recited by the children, wishing the household a prosperous year and a bountiful harvest.
