With just a 4 weeks to go, everybody is sure to be geared up for the start of a brand New Year 2009. Say goodbye to the old, and welcome in the new. There really is a lot of hype that accompanies the Christmas holidays and the coming of a new year. How do you plan to celebrate the start of 2009? Read on to find out some interesting facts and tidbits about this worldwide celebration that has been going on for ages, and find out if you are ready to start the year with a bang!
First up, New Year’s Resolutions
Speaking of starting the year right, are you one of the many fellows who vow to keep a New Year’s Resolution? Perhaps this is because a lot of people believe in changes and new chances as the year draws to a close. A fresh start and a clean slate is what everybody needs. With a New Year Resolution, people hope to have better luck in the coming year, but what are the most common resolutions that people draw for themselves? 
According to a 2008 Franklin Covey survey in the United States, the top 3 New Year’s Resolutions are the following: get out of debt, to lose weight, and to start a new health habit. This study was conducted by life management expert Stephen Covey, author of the popular self-help series, “The 7 Habits.”
As reported by Reuters, the Covey survey does reveal a lot of truths about how people manage themselves. Have you thought about what your New Year’s Resolution would be? Surely, you may be one of the many who wants to get back on track in terms of finances, which is why you may want to save up or erase the dues you owe. Secondly, obesity and being overweight are big problems that a lot of fellows face everyday. Along with the weight issue, other health complications also arise. Do you want to get fitter in the upcoming year, too? And of course, a lot of us have poor health habits we really have to get rid of, such as smoking, alcohol, junk food, or even idleness. It would really be good to start the year with a healthy and fitter body, so why not add this to your list of to-do things for 2009?
However, even if a lot of people jot down the things they want to change in the next year, how many of them really stick to these resolutions? As the same survey in 2008 reports, about one-third of the respondents break their New Year’s Resolutions before the year draws to a close, primarily because they had no time, were too busy, or just plain lazy. Hopefully, you’ll include yourself in the twenty-something percent of respondents who manage to at least stay true to their resolutions.
New Year Celebrations in Asia
It is undeniable that New Year ushers in a lot of good stuff, which is why this event is always synonymous with partying and merry making across the globe. Generally, we welcome in the New Year with fireworks, partying, music, and the works. But there really are different versions of New Year that you might want to know about, especially in the melting pot known as Asia. Here are a few interesting tidbits on this celebration in some parts of the largest continent.
Chinese New Year – This event is held not on January 1st, but usually in the middle of February, following the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Known as the most important holiday for the Chinese, this celebration includes lavish fireworks, dancing, prayers, and great food. The year 2009 is represented by the Ox.
Indian New Year – As sources would explain, Nava Varsha is celebrated in this country in March to April, marking the start of the Hindu Year. In the Deccan region of India, the celebration is known as Ugadi, and is marked by prayers, singing, and the consumption of special foods that symbolize experiences.
In the month of April, several countries usher in the New Year in their own special ways. These are Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Record Breaking New Year Parties
If you haven’t gotten enough of your dose of New Year trivia, here are a few amazing feats that made it to the Guinness Book of World Records in commemoration of this annual celebration. 
In China, the Guinness Book added a new entry to its record, as the very first successful feat for the year 2008. Nearly 2,000 people stretched their vocal chords in Hangzhou in the world’s longest karaoke singing relay, which was completed on the first of January, 2008. These singers were able to break by 20 minutes the previous Japanese record of 214 hours. Apparently they started right after Christmas, just in time to complete the record-breaking attempt at New Year. Can you imagine listening to karaoke singers belt out 3,000 songs over a period of 9 days?
Moving on to the opposite corner of the globe, the carnival capital of the world, Brazil, really knows how to have a new year party when New Year rings in. In the huge and bustling party city of Sao Paolo, more than 2.3 million celebrants packed the famous Copacabana beach to set the world record for the biggest New Year gathering in history. In their Reveillon Copacabana, they really ushered in 2008 with a bang, with one of the biggest fireworks displays ever known. That celebration alone cost the city government about $6 million. It makes you wonder what they’re going to do this 2009.
There is always a huge dispute as to which country holds the crown for the biggest New Year fireworks display in the world. Because every year, these nations try to outdo each other by coming up with something spectacular, it can be hard to gauge a winner. However, if you are hoping to catch some of the best and most extravagant fireworks displays at the start of 2009, you might want to check out these venues: Dubai, UAE; Sydney, Australia; London, England, and Hong Kong.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2009
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