essay about new year celebration in the philippines

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New Year in the Philippines

New Year is a major event in the Philippines.  Most Filipinos begin celebrating on New Year’s Eve which is December 31 and continue through January 1.  Family and friends gather together to welcome the new year by eating, drinking, singing, dancing, and making noise to drive away evil spirits.  The midnight meal, locally known as Media Noche, calls for various Filipino favorite dishes including lechon, pork barbecue, grilled chicken, Filipino-style spaghetti, lumpia, pancit, macaroni salad, fruit salad, and even rice cakes.

Filipino New Year Traditions

The following are common Filipino New Year traditions: 

• Make loud noise to drive away evil spirits – In addition to pyrotechnics, other ways to make loud noise during New Year include car horn and torotot (hornpipe) as well as frying pans, pots, and tin cans.
• Round-shaped foods on the table – Influenced by Chinese, Filipinos believe that round is a symbol for prosperity and fortune hence the round-shaped fruits as the centerpiece of the New Year festivities. The number of fruits vary from 12 to 14 but regardless of the number, it doesn’t really matter as long as it’s round.
• Media Noche – It’s a midnight meal on New Year’s Eve to welcome the New Year.
• Fill pockets with coins – Filling pockets with coins and shaking them when the clock strikes 12 is believed to bring good fortune.
• Wear polka dots – Wearing clothes with polka dots print is common during New Year’s Eve to attract money and fortune.
• Food containers should be full – Filipinos believe that when they welcome the new year abundantly, their lives will be prosperous throughout the year. Hence they make sure that their food containers, particularly rice, salt, and water containers, are full.
• Open doors and windows, turn on all the lights – Opening doors and windows, and turning all the lights to bring in good fortune and positive vibes.
• Pay debts off – Starting the New Year debt-free means you will be debt-free the rest of the year.
• Avoid spending on January – Not spending a single peso on the first day of the year leads to better financial status.
• Eat pancit – Pancit, spaghetti, and other long noodles symbolizes good health and long life.
• Jump high at midnight – Commonly applicable to children, old folks believe that children should jump as high as they can when the clock strikes 12 helps them grow taller.

Filipino New Year’s Day Superstitions

The following are some common Filipino New Year superstitions: 

• Avoid spending a single peso on the first day of the year.
• Washing and combing the hair brings bad luck.
• Clean the house before the year ends, not on New Year’s Day to avoid sweeping and throwing away good fortune.
• Don’t eat chicken and fish because they symbolize scarcity.  This one is not followed by everyone though.

Philippine New Year’s Eve: 10 Best Places To Experience It

The following are 10 of the Best Places to Experience New Year’s Eve in the Philippines: 

• SM Mall of Asia – See celebrity performances, special sales promotions, marching bands, and pyro displays.
• Rizal Park – Have a picnic in the park as you wait for the display of fireworks to welcome the New Year.
• Quezon Memorial Circle – Witness local celebrities performances and join the New Year countdown.
• Eastwood City Mall – Free concert of some of the biggest names in the music country.
• Boracay – Join crazy countdown parties at the world-famous island.
• Cebu City – This is the place to be for fabulous and extravagant parties outside Metro Manila .
• Tagaytay – Peaceful and relaxing retreat destination to start the year right.
• Subic – New Year adventures which include yachts, water sports, safaris, ocean parks, and inflatable water playgrounds.
• Iloilo River Esplanade – New Year countdown beside the river.
• Antipolo – Watch fireworks from a distance … and in peace.

Where to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Manila to Ring In the New Year

The following are popular places to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Manila: 

• The Peninsula – Elegant and stylish New Year
• The Peak at Grand Hyatt Manila – Watch fireworks from the tallest building in the country
• Resorts World Manila – Luxurious dinner and party at the largest hotel ballroom in the country
• Okada Manila – Property-wide celebration with the biggest OPM artists of the year
• Bonifacio Global City – New Year’s Eve at the high street
• I’M Hotel – 360-degree view of the metro skyline
• Quezon Memorial Circle – Marvelous New Year’s eve with light shows, 3D mapping, and world-class pyrotechnic display
• SM Mall of Asia – Celebrity performances, special sales promotions, marching bands, and pyro displays
• Solaire – Concert with free-flowing wine and fine dining
• Eastwood City – Star-studded performances until midnight

Where to Watch Fireworks on New Year’s Eve in the Philippines

The following are popular places to watch firework on New Year’s Eve in the Philippines: 

• Luneta Park
• Quezon Memorial Circle
• Antidote (Roof deck, I’M Hotel), 
• Straight Up (Roof deck, Seda BGC), 
• White Moon Bar by Hotel H20, 
• 42nd Floor (Columbus, Discovery Suites Manila), 
• Vertigo Pool Deck Bar (Luxent Hotel)
• SM Mall of Asia

How Do YOU Celebrate New Year’s Day?

The New Years’ holiday is often marked by fireworks, parades, and reflection upon the last year while looking ahead to the future’s possibilities.  Many people celebrate New Year’s in the company of loved ones, involving traditions meant to bring luck and success in the upcoming year.

New Year’s Day Resolutions and Traditions

While celebration varies all over the world, common traditions include:

• Making resolutions or goals to improve one’s life.
• Common resolutions concern diet, exercise, bad habits, and other issues concerning personal wellness.  A common view is to use the first day of the year as a clean slate to improve one’s life.
• A gathering of loved ones: Here you’ll typically find champagne, feasting, confetti, noise makers, and other methods of merriment, fireworks, parades, and concerts.
• Famous parades include London’s New Year’s Day Parade and the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
• Superstitions concerning food or visitors to bring luck.

Final Thoughts 

2020 has been a difficult year for everyone around the world due to the CoronaVirus pandemic. As a new year approaches … I think we can all agree that we are hopeful for 2021 to be a better year than the past and for things to return to normal.

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About the Author

Patrick is an entrepreneur, digital nomad, explorer, and photographer. Patrick is always in search of fun and adventure. He is well travelled throughout the world, and although location independent, his home base is Phoenix, Arizona in the USA. Patrick loves island lifestyle which is no wonder why he is so interested in spending time in the Philippines with it’s over 7,000 islands. Patrick created this site to share his knowledge of and experiences in the Philippines with Filipinos as well as other foreigners.

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A Traditional New Year’s Eve Celebration in the Philippines

My family is a bit traditional in many ways. Christmas and New Year’s Eve for us is family time spent at home, not outside in the malls nor on the streets.

Throughout the whole day of the 31st, the whole household was busy preparing for the midnight feast, consisting of several layers of chiffon cake, a traditional vegetable dish, beef steak, grilled tuna (for me), Filipino-style spaghetti, maja blanca, gelatin, some salad, and a few bottles of wine.

The lechon (roasted pig) was prepared later that night. Chicken is never included because of the Filipino belief that eating chicken will result to a hand-to-mouth existence. (Here’s how to cook lechon )

Our New Year’s Eve feast!

At 10pm, everybody went to mass. Our parents fervently hoped that Monsignor would not prolong the sermon as he did last year, because we HAD to be at home before midnight.

These had been carefully selected to provide the maximum noise.

Again, it’s a Filipino belief that whatever you are caught doing by midnight will happen to you for the rest of the year. Being at home when the clock strikes 12 ensures that one would not go out as much in the coming year ahead.

(It did not seem to work with me though, with my itchy feet and all. I had also been jumping up and down for three decades, but I’m still short!)

My brother banged a cover with gusto…

Once home, we waited and then joined the countdown on television, greeting the New Year with much noise. We banged pots and pans, shouted at the top of our lungs, honked the horn, and generally became mad lunatics for a few minutes.

Our househelp who had been with us only for a few months couldn’t stop laughing, wondering probably what kind of household she had stumbled onto!

…while my sister tried to outdo him.

Jumping up and down was not enough; we had to go to every room in the house with our pots and pans to make noise and drive away any bad spirits there.

We also did not forget to have  12 coins in our pockets (one of a kind), to make sure we have money in the new year. (I wanted to include more—I need money to travel!—but my father said 12 was the prescribed number.)

Father giving my mother a bit of fruit to eat.

Afterward, our father made us eat a bit of the 13 lucky fruits offered for the New Year. Every member of the family had to eat a bit of guava, mandarin orange, apple, tisa, caimito, chico, pear, orange, grapes, papaya, and pomelo, leaving half in the offering bowl.

I took a big chunk of the fruits I liked—apple, orange—but only nipped at some—the tisa was not ripe yet and the chico was icky! My father said it didn’t matter, as long as I ate some, and I left the rest in the bowl.

The most awaited moment, of course, was the feast! Like a lot of pinoys, majority of the dishes are meat so I only ate tuna and a bit of the salad. I couldn’t believe it when my brothers gobbled up the lechon; even seeing it already gave me cholesterol! “It’s only for the New Year,” they said. Sure.

Papa and my brother loving the roasted pig (eek!).

Holidays are always a pleasure to me, not only because I get off work, but more importantly, because I get to be with my family.

Still, I had been wondering how the New Year’s celebration is in places like New York, or, okay, maybe Boracay . Perhaps someday, I’ll find out!

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Celebrating the spirit of christmas with simbang gabi, 17 comments . leave new.

Aleah, this posting again brings back many warm and even more tender memories, which make my eyes teary with reflection. Some day I will tell you about my first fiesta in Tandag; something that I could never forget. As I was chaperoned from one barangay to the next, from the center of town to those in bundoks, the remoter that I got the more touching the celebration the more special the welcome the more profound the impact of what I experienced and the more profound lessons about life that I learned. Your writings and your photos are so expressive and so evocative of shared moments.. and of the customs, the heart, hopes and realities of everyday life in the barangays. Your posts are a treasure trove of cultural practice, custom and celebrations — as well as a time capsule of history. I truly look forward to each of your wonderful blogs.

@ I am Max: Yeah they’re killing the pig all over again haha @ Sining Factory: I guess so, but I’ll stick with seafood, esp grilled fish and sushi 🙂 @ Yuuki: True true! Umm…same way in celebrating NYE for 2011 and 2012 haha

so we will be waiting for another new year’s post soon…for 2012…

Filipinos are really closely knit family kaya we want to as much as possible spend Christmas and New Year with our families…

Iba rin talaga ang bagong taon sa Pinas. Hehe. Maingay, magulo pero masaya. I guess lechon symbolizes propsperity kaya naghahanda ng lechon twuing pasko at bagong taon. 🙂

i find it funny that the knife was stuck that way on the pig. btw, we do not eat lechon on christmas. i dont know why though 😐

@ Gael: Happy new year! (Very late response haha) @ Justin Jones: Yup! @ Sexy Pinay: Yeah, it’s nice to be with family on NYE.

I miss celebrating New Year’s Eve back in the Philippines with my love ones.

hey there traveler! Nice blog! I couldn't find a link to your email or contact info, so i'm posting there here – I'd really like to do a link exchange. send me an email at Justin [at] JustinWasHere.com if you're interested. or just check out my site – http://www.JustinWasHere.com

hope to hear from you!

mas masaya mag celebrate ng new year sa provice dahil na din sa mga tradisyong Pinoy.

Maligayang Bagong Taon Aleah! 🙂

@ Claire–it's nice to hear these are still being done in parts of the country today! 🙂

@ RedNomad–I predict you'll be traveling much in 2011! If such things came true, I'd be taller now. sigh.

@ Carla–you can have the lechon. I haven't eaten pork since 2005:)

@ Liz–it's good to be home. Hope you can go home one someday.

Al, i didn't know we have to eat some of the fruits prepared for the new year? I didn't touch any!!! 🙁 I just hope my brother has eaten some of my prepared fruits by now.

Anyways, i miss home! It's been 2 years…

LECHON!!! makes me hungrgy…filipino traditions simply the best 🙂

Your traditional celebrations sound like so much fun! Australian traditions also include eating and noise – but also with a lot of drinking!! Sadly, I was asleep at midnight (it had been a very long day) – does that mean I'll be sleeping (or maybe lazy) for the rest of the year? I hope not!

Happy 2011!!

Your post reminds me of all the rituals we do at home before the new year strikes. The thought of me jumping up and down for decades now made me smile as well as the banging of pots and pans while the tv and radio are on full blasting mode trying to get rid of the bad spirits of the previous year 🙂

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12 Filipino New Year’s Eve Traditions & Superstitions

Updated 06/14/2022

Published 04/9/2020

Sam Tetrault, BA in English

Contributing writer

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

New Year’s Eve is a time for celebrating all over the world, but few places have as many traditions and superstitions surrounding this holiday as the Philippines. For Filipinos, this time of year is more extravagant and elaborate than Christmas Eve. 

Throughout generations, Filipinos passed down cultural superstitions and norms between families. While other parts of the world are busy making New Year’s resolutions , Filipinos are enjoying round foods, scattering coins, and repaying old debts. 

Why are Filipinos so superstitious ? Before the conquistadors that brought Catholicism, the Philippines was primarily pagan. These ancestors believed in deities who ruled all aspects of life, and people went to great lengths to keep the gods happy. 

Additionally, Filipinos had a lot of interactions with China before the Spanish influence. The Chinese greatly influenced the culture of the Philippines, leading to a unique blend of traditions and superstitions. In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the specific customs surrounding New Year’s Eve in the Philippines. 

1. Paying Debts

One of the most unique traditions in the Philippines is the focus on settling your debts. While nobody wants to ring in the new year with even more debt, this is a big focus of the holiday in the Philippines. 

It’s believed that any financial habits you have in the previous year will continue in the New Year. Having debts to your name means you’ll only bring another year of debts, and nobody wants that. It’s common to see people scrambling to get through their debt payoff journey as the year comes to a close. 

2. Making Noise

New Year’s Eve in the Philippines isn’t a quiet event! This is a time to be as loud as possible. Pots and pans are banged together, kids use homemade instruments, and everyone just turns up the volume. 

Why so loud? In the Philippines, it’s believed that loud noises drive away evil spirits. Everyone’s on a mission to drive away those spirits before the new year, so that means things get a little (or a lot) loud!

3. Firework Displays

Speaking of loud, this is also a time for some of the most extravagant fireworks displays. Colors and lights are a big part of how Filipinos celebrate, so it’s no surprise fireworks are so popular. This tradition was adapted from the Chinese custom of using fireworks to scare away evil spirits, but it’s also a symbol for the brightness of the New Year. 

4. Cleaning the Home

Cleaning is a shared New Year’s Eve tradition around the globe. The Cambodian New Year and Chinese New Year also emphasize the importance of cleaning before ringing in the new. 

By cleaning, the family attracts harmony and order for the upcoming year. Simply put, this is a way to bring luck. Who doesn’t love a clean home? It’s the perfect way to start a new chapter. 

5. Wearing Polka Dots

Round things are a symbol of luck in many parts of Asia, including the Philippines. Circles and round things are a way to bring wealth to the family in the new year.

Stores sell polka dot everything leading up to the new year, and you’ll see lots of people wearing their best polka dot fashion. 

6. Displaying Coins

Coins are a sign of abundance and wealth. They’re quite literally a form of currency, so it’s not a big surprise that Filipinos use coins in their New Year’s Eve traditions. Placing coins throughout the home on this special day attracts money and abundance in the New Year. 

Where do people place their coins? The more places, the better! You’ll see them in drawers, suitcases, tables, shelves, and even in the kitchen. Some even carry coins around in their pocket all day for extra luck!

7. Number 12

A lot of people have a special number they think is luckier than others. There are a lot of lucky numbers in the Philippines, and these are evoked on New Year’s Eve to bring even more luck to families. The most common lucky number associated with the New Year is number 12. It’s a symbol for the 12 months of the year. 

Most families display things in 12 around the home. What do they display? Most people choose round fruits. This combines the luckiness of round fruits with a special number. 

8. Family Feasts

Families come together during the New Year to reconnect and remember a family member who passed in the previous year. This is a time for reflection and growth as a family with some of the most beloved Filipino foods . 

Favorites like kare-kare, lechon, and congee are on the menu. Each family has its own unique twist on what’s served, and this is a meal worth waiting all year for. 

Looking for more food traditions? Read our guide on New Year's Eve food traditions from around the world .

9. Eating Sticky Foods

Speaking of delicacies, there are specific foods that are always enjoyed on New Year’s Eve. Aside from the famous family feast, Filipinos eat sticky foods like rice cakes and noodles. These are all from the Chinese tradition, and they’re said to represent good luck in the new year. 

While most families cook their own sticky foods, there are also a lot of take-out and catering options from local restaurants. This is their busiest time of the year, and they usually create special menus to honor the holiday. 

10. Avoid Chicken and Fish

Chicken and fish are a big part of Filipino culture, but not during the New Year. While some foods bring luck (like sticky rice), others have the opposite effect. In the Philippines, chicken and fish dishes aren’t to be enjoyed on New Year’s Eve. 

Because these dishes are symbols of food scarcity, people steer clear of chicken and fish to avoid the added bad luck. While not followed by everyone, this shows the importance of food in the Philippines. 

11. Full Containers

As you can see, there’s a focus on abundance and fulfillment in the Philippines New Year’s Eve tradition. One way to bring even more luck and wealth is with full containers. People fill rice and water containers in preparation for their New Year celebration. This brings a year of prosperity, according to superstition. 

12. Open Doors and Windows

Finally, another Filipino tradition is to open all the doors and windows in the home. Some families also open drawers and cabinets. This is a way to welcome positive energy into the home. 

While cleaning and loud noises scare away evil spirits, the openness of the home is a warm welcome to the positive spirits. Some of these spirits could be from deceased ancestors. This is one of the many ways to explore death in different cultures .

Welcome the New Year with Tradition

The more we learn about folk beliefs around the world, the closer we come as a global community. Every culture has its own way of welcoming the new. For the Philippines, that means remembering the customs and superstitions of the past. 

While it’s not proven whether the number 12 or round fruits really leads to different results come January 1st, we can all agree these are fun ways to celebrate a special time of year. Anything that brings people together is worth being excited about. How do you make New Year’s Eve a unique time? What are your own family’s traditions?

If you're looking for more on new year celebrations around the world, read our guide on the Tibetan New Year, Losar .

• Makalintal, Bettina. “With a Show of Hands, Filipino-American Chefs Rekindle Kamayan Feasts.” WOSU Radio . 20 January 2018. WOSU.org. 
• “New Years Belief and Traditions in the Philippines.” Expatch: Manila Expat’s Patch of the Web.” 3 January 2018. Expatch.org . 
• “Why Are Filipinos so Superstitious?” Flying Ketchup. 8 June 2018. FlyingKetchup.com .  

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[column] easter message, how the philippines celebrates lunar new year.

THE Lunar New Year signifies not only the beginning of a new year in the Chinese calendar, but also the start of the Spring season.

Unlike the fixed new year of the Gregorian calendar commonly celebrated on January 1st, the date of the Lunar New Year varies, determined by the appearance of the new moon — which is why it’s called the Lunar New Year, as it’s based on the lunisolar Chinese calendar.

Lunar New Year is one of the most important and celebrated holidays in China as well as across the world where there are diaspora Chinese communities. And while the Chinese community in the Philippines only makes up 5% of the country’s total population, the Lunar New Year is still one of the most awaited events here.

How Filipinos celebrate Lunar New Year: Traditions and superstitions Most Filipinos flock to Binondo in Manila for the Lunar New Year. Founded in the 16th century, Binondo is considered as the oldest Chinatown in the world.

Because of this, it becomes the center of all Lunar New Year celebrations in the Philippines, with the area festooned with Chinese lanterns and various red decorations.

Spectators crowd the streets of Chinatown to watch the Parades of Dragons and Lions, a colorful and dynamic performance accompanied by the loud banging of drums and cymbals. The dragon, in China, is believed to represent great power, auspiciousness, and strength. During the parade, it is usually controlled by eight to 10 dancers. Meanwhile, the lion represents safety and luck. It is commonly carried by two dancers with one of them in charge of the head, making the lion’s ears wiggle and its eyes blink.

The color red is prevalent during the festivities as it is a special color in Chinese culture, signifying energy, happiness, and good luck. Most people wear red clothing as it represents vitality as well as strength. Elders also hand out red envelopes (Ang Pao) to children. These envelopes contain money, and giving them is believed to bring good luck and long life to both the giver and receiver.

The Lunar New Year won’t be complete without setting off fireworks and firecrackers or generally just making noise. Doing this is supposed to drive away bad spirits, bad luck, and the mythical beast called Nian. Filipinos commonly use horns and cooking pots to create noise.

Chinese families also gather to have their New Year’s Eve dinner where they usually serve tikoy ( year cake ), which is made from sticky rice and symbolizes unity among family members; noodles for long life and represent the eater’s life;  fish and dumplings which are believed to signify good fortune.

Families also prepare 12 different round fruits as they are believed to bring luck and fortune to them. The New Year’s Eve dinner is perhaps the most important dinner for Chinese families — that’s why it’s necessary for all the members of the family to be present for it.

During the Lunar New Year, people across the globe greet with either Gong Xi Fa Cai, which means “you attain greater wealth,” or Kung Hei Fat Choi, which means “congratulations and be prosperous.”

Ritchel Mendiola

Ritchel Mendiola is a staff writer and reporter for the Asian Journal. You can reach her at [email protected] .

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Where and How to Celebrate New Year's In The Philippines

The Philippines, also known as an Island Country, is a nation which practices many traditions and cultures. Just like any other festival, New Year is also celebrated with great enthusiasm in the country. If you happen to visit the Philippines during New Year’s, then it is an amazing sight to watch and experience.  New Year in the Philippines is accompanied by its traditions, which even you may want to know about and try.

The best places during New Year’s in the Philippines

1. eastwood city mall, quezon city.

New Year’s Eve at the mall is like a very fun music concert with celebrity performances and entertainment shows with popular musicians and bands.

2. Rizal Park, Manila

If you are not a person who likes to party then you can enjoy a fun picnic evening with your family and friends at the Rizal Park where you can watch the sparkling fireworks and spend quality time with your closed ones.

3. Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City

Quezon Memorial is a popular National Park in the Philippines with several museums, playgrounds, restaurants and much more. You will get to see the history and legacy of the Filipinos and enjoy the local Filipino style food in the restaurants here.

4. Boracay Island, Aklan Province

One of the popular and most favourite New Year Destinations among the tourists in the Philippines. Celebrations on this island with crazy parties, delicious Sea-food and a spectacular view of fireworks is worth experiencing.

5. Tagaytay City

If you are not a party animal and do not like to meet many people or be social, then you can have a chilled and relaxed celebration at Tagaytay for a silent yet peaceful New Year’s celebration.

6. SUBIC, Central Luzon

The most favourite vacation spot for tourists with amazing amusement parks, water sports, safari’s, etc. You can enjoy a spectacular evening with buffets, drinks and yacht rides.

7. Iloilo City, Panay Island

Iloilo isn’t really the first place that comes to mind for New Year’s Celebration, it is very underestimated. The local folks of Iloilo gather at midnight for the NYE countdown and celebrate with Media Noche (The Midnight Feast) and fireworks. You can savour your first day of New Year’s in Iloilo by visiting the city’s alluring landmarks like the Plaza de la Villa Rica de Arévalo.

8. Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Pasay, Manila

This is one of the best hotels in Manila for New Year Parties and Celebrations. The hotel is located at the perfect Roxas Boulevard- which is from one of the most excellent places to view the ravishing fireworks and NYE Countdown. At the top floor of the hotel, you will be served with exquisite New year Specialities.

9. SM Mall Of Asia, Pasay, Manila

One of the biggest NYE celebrations take place here at the SM MOA in Pasay. With Celebrity performances, great shopping deals, beautiful decorations and fireworks, this place is gonna blow your mind.

10. The Peninsula, Manila

You can welcome the New Year’s by hanging out at the Peninsula Hotel in Manila. You will have a pleasant time here with amazing theme parties, finger-licking five-course dinner, music lounge, dance performances and an astonishing view of the night sky and fireworks.

The New Year Celebrations in Filipinos Style

The Filipinos wear Polka Dots Outfits on New Year’s as a tradition. When you are visiting the Philippines, make sure to pack a polka dot outfit too.

2. Midnight Meal

The Filipinos on New Year’s Eve have a midnight meal called Media Noche, with their friends and family to welcome the New Year with Prosperity and Happiness.

3. The Round Concept

The Filipinos believe that round shape is a symbol of Prosperity and Fortune, thus they have round-shaped fruits in the midnight meal.

4. Fireworks

The New Year fireworks are considered to be very fun and auspicious. The Filipinos keep their doors and windows open, so that the evil spirits go away because of the loud noises.

5. Traditional Beliefs

• Children Jumping at midnight to grow taller.
• Eating rice and pancit (noodles) to ensure good health.
• The children collect coins in their pockets and shake it for good luck.
• The Filipinos make sure to pay off all their debts on a new year and do not spend any amount on the 1st of January.

This post was published by Laxmi Santosh Mishra

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Why do Filipinos celebrate New Year with fireworks?

Celebrating with fireworks at New Year has been a tradition for Filipinos, but do we know how it started?

As explained on #KuyaKimAnoNa on “24 Oras” Friday, historians said fireworks were invented in 200 BC by the Chinese. They set bamboo on fire to drive away enemies and evil spirits.

According to the report, many Filipinos and Chinese believe that fireworks ward off misfortune and bring in good luck.

Kapuso, there are few hours left before the New Year! Have a blessed 2022! – RC, GMA News

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How New Year’s Is Celebrated in the Philippines

How do filipinos celebrate new year’s.

Bring in the new year in the Philippines! Filipinos get ready for a fresh start to the year with different preparations, celebrations, and traditions. These festivities intend to attract prosperity, abundance, and good fortune. Learn how Filipinos welcome good fortune with their own distinct New Year’s traditions and celebrations.

If you have family and loved ones in the Philippines, send them money to help them achieve their New Year’s resolutions. You can send money the way that works best for you. Whether you prefer going online , using the Western Union app   or sending money in person at an agent location , Western Union has your back.

1. 12 round fruits and medianoche

To welcome in the new year, Filipinos have a midnight (medianoche) feast with specific foods and meals. In particular, families serve a platter of twelve round fruits at dinner time. Twelve fruits are used to represent the twelve months in a year. The circular shape of fruits symbolizes coins and money. Even more so, this tradition is said to bring prosperity and good fortune into the upcoming year. If you are struggling to find fruits to add to your assortment, there are plenty of options to choose from: mangos, lanzones, calamanzi, guyabano, chico, apples,  dragon fruit, cherries, and more.

In addition to the twelve fruits, there are also other foods that are commonly served at dinner. Pancit, a noodle-based dish, is served because it symbolizes good health and a long life. Families also serve rice cakes or sticky rice. Filipinos eat sticky treats during the New Year’s because they believe they will strengthen family ties. Popular rice cakes include biko (sweet rice cake) and bibingka (baked rice cake).

2. Wearing polka dots

In Latin American countries, the right New Year’s outfit can help bring in wealth and prosperity. For celebrations, colored underwear can help bring good luck, prosperity, or even love. In the Philippines, the polka dotted pattern is said to bring good fortune. You can wear a dress, shirt, pants, or whatever outfit piece you own that has a polka dot pattern. Welcome your new year with a funky, polka dot to bring New Year’s blessings.

3. Replace dollar bills and scatter coins around the house

Filipino culture is superstitious about spending money on the New Year’s; it’s widely believed that not spending money on New Year’s can lead to better financial management and income in the following months. So, many Filipinos tend to stay home and avoid spending money. Filipinos also commonly replace bills in their wallets with fresh ones, hoping their pockets will remain full in the new year. Some Filipinos scatter coins around their house to help attract wealth into the new year too.

4. Leaving the doors open and the lights on

To bring New Year’s fortune, Filipinos leave their lights on and their doors open. Filipinos leave their lights on to signal a bright future ahead. An open door invites and welcomes blessings and prosperity into their home for the year to come.

5. Jumping when the clock strikes midnight

Another New Year’s tradition that’s unique to the Philippines is that, when the clock strikes midnight, the children jump. There’s an unfounded belief that this will help make them grow taller, and it’s a tradition grounded in the culture of Philippines and their New Year’s celebrations.

Filipino New Year’s traditions are unique; you choose a polka dot outfit, invite blessings to your home with an open door, and jump at midnight to help you grow. It’s a celebratory time for Filipino families to bring in the new year. When you celebrate New Year’s in the Philippines, it’s a celebration that brings success, prosperity, and good fortune to you and your loved ones. If you want to impart good fortune to your family and friends in the Philippines, send them money for the new year.

You can go online or download the Western Union app to send and receive money reliably and conveniently. You can also visit an agent location if you prefer to handle transactions in person.

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New Year's Day 2025 in Philippines

Many Filipinos consider New Year’s Day as an important holiday in the Philippines. This sets the start of a new year in the Gregorian calendar, which is used in many countries including the Philippines.

Is New Year's Day a Public Holiday?

New Year's Day is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

Many people in countries such as the Philippines celebrate New Year's Day with fireworks.

©bigstockphoto.com/joe32780

What Do People Do?

Many Filipino people unite on New Year’s Eve, which is on December 31, to celebrate a midnight meal known as the Media Noche . It is also common to stay awake to greet the coming of the New Year. New Year’s Day is also characterized by Filipinos lighting fireworks and making a lot of noise to drive away evil spirits. This belief originated from the Chinese.

The elderly encourage children to jump at the stroke of midnight so that they would grow up tall. Many people display 12 circular fruits and wear clothing with polka dots to symbolize money. It is also popular practice to open all the doors and windows at the stroke of midnight to let in the good luck. Many Filipino families also read the Christian bible and attend a church midnight mass. It is common for many Filipinos to blend religion and superstition in celebrating New Year’s Day.

Public Life

New Year’s Day is a public holiday in the Philippines on January 1. Government offices, schools and most businesses are closed. Public transport is limited to reduced bus and jeep services operating during New Year’s Day.

The New Year’s Day/New Year’s Eve celebrations start on December 31 and continue through to January 1. New Year’s Day in the Philippines is short but uniquely celebrated throughout the country. This is also the time of the year when many Filipino families get together and strengthen their family ties. New Year’s Day in the Philippines is a joyful holiday that is characterized with the intermarriage of religion and paganism which are the attributes of a once Hispanic Philippine Society.

Filipinos symbolize New Year’s Day with their visions of how the start of the New Year opens opportunities for a bountiful life. This is the reason why the Filipino dining table which is the focal point of this holiday in that the table is abundant with food that comes in round or circular shapes to represent money. Fireworks also symbolize driving away bad luck during New Year’s Day.

About New Year's Day in Other Countries

New year's day observances.

Note: Employees covered by the Holiday Pay Rule are entitled to their daily basic wage for any unworked regular holiday.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know .

Elsewhere on timeanddate.com

New Year's Eve

New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year, December 31, in the Gregorian calendar.

The Day of Valor

Araw ng Kagitingan, also known as the Day of Valor, annually falls on or around April 9 in the Philippines.

Eidul-Fitar

Eid al-Fitr is a holiday to mark the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast during the hours of daylight.

Labor Day, International Workers' Day, and May Day, is a day off for workers in many countries around the world.

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AP PHOTOS: Lunar New Year in the Philippines draws crowds to one of the world’s oldest Chinatowns

A man stands under lanterns during an event for the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A monk holds a rose during ceremonies as part of their observance of the coming Chinese New Year at the Seng Guan temple at the edge of Manila’s Chinatown, Philippines said to be the oldest in the world, on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Lion dancers perform as part of celebrations for the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A giant wood dragon is displayed at a mall at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday Feb. 6, 2024, Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Dancers in costumes cross a street as they participate during the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Aerial view showing William A. Jones Memorial Bridge, front, and Binondo-Intramuros bridge connects Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man carries her daughter as they watch celebrations for the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Women prays at the Seng Guan temple at the edge of Manila’s Chinatown, Philippines said to be the oldest in the world, on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Fireworks lit up during celebrations for the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man waits inside the Kuang Kong Buddhist Temple in Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday Feb. 6, 2024, Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man arranges dishes at the Toho Panciteria Antigua, one of the few remaining old restaurants in Binondo district, Manila, Philippines, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Dancers perform in front of the centuries-old Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz during celebrations for the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, Philippines. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man sells reusable bags outside a market at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Seafood vendors stay outside a market at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man massages a costumer along a street at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A woman records a video of lanterns on her smartphone as she attends celebrations for the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A woman offers prayers at a cross along a busy road at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday Feb. 6, 2024, Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A ferry boat passes by Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, Manila, Philippines. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Vietnamese tourists walk at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A lion performer walks at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A passenger jeepney crosses the Jones Bridge at the edge of Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday Feb. 5, 2024, Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Lion performers cross a road at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A woman buys a plant as she prepares for the coming Chinese New Year at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Residents play beside the El Hogar building, one of the few remaining old structures at Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A vendor sells fruits with lucky charms for the coming Chinese New Year at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A vendor sells fruits with lucky charms for the coming Chinese New Year at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A visitor poses with a standee inside the Chinese museum at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

People line up for food at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man arranges his shirt beside a cross at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Lucky charms are displayed beside an artwork on a wall at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Performers practice their routine at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday Feb. 6, 2024, Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A buyer checks lucky charms for the coming Chinese New Year at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

The sun sets behind the Binondo-Intramuros bridge at the edge of Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines on Monday Feb. 5, 2024, Crowds are flocking to Manila’s Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

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MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Crowds are flocking to Chinatown in the Philippine capital to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon and experience lively traditional dances on lantern-lit streets with food, lucky charms and prayers for good fortune.

Still recovering from the pandemic years and struggling amid global economic concerns, Chinese restaurants and shops in the area brimmed with festive lights and decor ahead of the Lunar New Year on Saturday, hoping to cash in on an influx of tourists.

Lamp posts in Manila’s riverside Binondo commercial district, said to be one of the oldest Chinatowns in the world, feature dragon decor with tails curled around the poles. In a crowded mall, a huge dragon hangs over selfie-taking shoppers.

A giant wood dragon is displayed at a mall at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna lit a “money tree” and led a ceremony to mark what she and other officials said was the 430th founding anniversary of the Binondo district.

Dragon dancers performed to the beating of drums at the event, which was capped by fireworks.

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, business establishments large and small were forced to shut down, and Chinatown resembled a ghost town. But the crowds returned in force this week, with traffic jams and parking lots crammed with SUVs.

Each year is named after one of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac in a repeating cycle. The Year of the Wood Dragon, which local Chinese hope will bring abundance, follows the Year of the Rabbit.

Vietnamese tourists walk at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Lucky charms are displayed beside an artwork on a wall at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Aerial view showing William A. Jones Memorial Bridge, front, and Binondo-Intramuros bridge connects Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man massages a costumer along a street at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Lion performers cross a road at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Residents play beside the El Hogar building, one of the few remaining old structures at Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man arranges dishes at the Toho Panciteria Antigua, one of the few remaining old restaurants in Binondo district, Manila, Philippines, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A woman offers prayers at a cross along a busy road at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A lion performer walks at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Seafood vendors stay outside a market at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A visitor poses with a standee inside the Chinese museum at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A vendor sells fruits with lucky charms for the coming Chinese New Year at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man carries her daughter as they watch celebrations for the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A woman records a video of lanterns on her smartphone as she attends celebrations for the 430th anniversary of Manila’s Chinatown, said to be the oldest in the world, at the capital’s Binondo district, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

People line up for food at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Performers practice their routine at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A monk holds a rose during ceremonies as part of their observance of the coming Chinese New Year at the Seng Guan temple at the edge of Manila’s Chinatown, Philippines said to be the oldest in the world. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A buyer checks lucky charms for the coming Chinese New Year at Binondo district, said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Associated Press journalist Joeal Calupitan contributed to this report.

Essay on Happy New Year (Celebration, New Year Eve, Importance)

In this article, we have published an essay on happy new year and its celebration, new year eve & importance for students and children.

Table of Contents

Essay on Happy New Year 2021 for Students and Children

New Year is a time where everybody thinks of treasuring the cheerful spirit of the moment. There are unique ways to experience and explore more about the story of the New Year.

As the day approaches, college students and even school going children get indulged in writing essays on the relevance of New Year that they can celebrate this day with so much beatitude and hopefulness. 

In traditional times, it was a Roman calendar which had only ten months and designated 1st March as the New Year. However, in the Gregorian calendar, there are 12 months in every year and the New Year falls on 1st January, and this date is widely accepted and celebrated. 

Also Read – 60+ Best New year Resolution which will change your life

Happy New Year Celebration

New Year is celebrated worldwide with the utmost excitement and fun. It is a special day for everyone, and many celebrate the coming year in their way. You can see many buying various things like clothes and sweets from the market.

Even these days the shops are very crowded. 1st Jan New Year celebration in India is full of rituals and food. People celebrate it with dance and music, and children are happy because they get different food to eat and enjoy the tour with friends and family. 

Various communities in India celebrate their New Year on different dates as per their calendars. But, overall, it is a festival that brings happiness in people and spreads it everywhere. Indians celebrate this day on 1st Jan, but as per the Hindu scriptures, this day falls between March and April.

We celebrate a New Year of January as per the English calendar. So, every religion has its calendar; for instance, the Chinese celebrate this day in February. Also, the most country celebrates it on December 31st after midnight i.e. on 1st Jan. 

People congrats with each other and do fireworks at the same time. This day is one festival that are considered as the oldest holiday to date. The date of the celebration and how it is celebrated in various regions has changed over the years.

In traditional days, it relates the celebration to fetish. Christian celebrates it as the festival of Sunnah. 

The day reflects a fresh beginning and always teaches one to move forward. Whatever we did in the old year, learned successful or unsuccessful, learn from the past, and proceed to the future with a new hope is the significance of this celebration.

Just we are not sad at the end of the old year but welcome the New Year with great happiness & enthusiasm. Similarly, we shouldn’t be sad about the last time in life instead, look forward to thinking about passaging time and welcome fresh opportunities and try to improve life through them. 

On this day, you can see parties being held in many places in the celebration’s joy. It entertains one through delicious dishes, fun games, songs, and dances.

Some people also organise some religious programs and remember God and welcome the New Year. Even special programs are broadcasted on television and radio. You can see a loved one’s giving and taking greetings cards, gifts, and flowers from one another. 

You can see Indian streets full of New Year Shayari and greetings are written on roads with colours. Jan 1 is one of the most famous picnic days of India, so all the tourist places are filled everywhere. So, this way, we celebrate the Happy New Year. 

New Year Eve 2021

New Year Eve is one of the largest global celebrations because it marks the last day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, December 31; the day before the New Year. So, count down to the New Year no matter where you are in the world. 

What Do People Do in Happy New Year Eve?

Happy New Year Eve is a day mixed with feelings for many individuals. This is a time to celebrate the end of the year welcome what is in store in the New Year.

Also, this is a time where much experience a sense of nostalgia as they reflect on the events that took place in their lives in the past 12 months. Many start thinking about New Year’s resolution at this time of the year. 

Some people celebrate by attending midnight church services, while others gather around in public venues to count down for the closing seconds of the old year. Many hold parties to bid farewell to the finishing year and celebrate the day. The size of festive events can vary along with the themes.

You will find some people attending masquerade balls while others have costume parties. Some people also hold small gatherings or parties at their homes. Further, you will see firework displays highlight this special day Eve celebration. 

Public Life in New Year Eve

New Year Eve is a public holiday wide range of places among the countries. It is also a holiday for banks as it is a government holiday.

This is not a nationwide public holiday, but some businesses close early, schools are closed, and even many people may have a half-day off work. Those traveling through public transport must check with the local transport authorities on public transport schedules for this day. 

New Year Eve is the last day of the year and the day before New Year. This marks the beginning of a new year as per the Gregorian calendar. Pope Gregory XIII introduced this in 1582 and was adopted in some regions of Europe but was not used in different countries until even centuries later. 

New Year Eve festive can be traced back to celebrations in Europe that date back before Christianity spread. When many people in Europe converted to Christianity , they merged these festivals with Christian beliefs and then marked holidays like New year Eve & New Year celebration. 

It is crucial to record that not all culture follows the Gregorian calendar in observing New Year Eve & New year Day. For instance, the New Year in Islamic, Jewish, Coptic, Chinese, Hindu differs from that of the Gregorian calendar. 

Importance of Happy New Year 2021

New Year day is celebrated worldwide with great enthusiasm and zeal. This day is the festival when an entire community spreads joy everywhere and shares their feeling of happiness. Both children and youth are delighted on this special day.

They dance and enjoy together and are so happy for a moment that they forget any sorrows exists in their life. All enjoy 31st Dec night with full of energy. People exchange gifts and greetings cards with each other and there is a lot of crowds in the shops as people enjoy this day with frolic and fun. 

You will find a lot of celebration programs telecasting on TV and radio on 31st Dec night to give accord welcome of New Year. All the people celebrate on 31st Dec night and remember all the moments of the last year they enjoyed together. Even many countries rework on this special day at the stroke of midnight. 

You will find families who switch off their mobile at midnight and gather to enjoy the eve together. They will cut the pie and play traditional cards or do some more enjoyable things. You will find, on this day, much rework at midnight.

There is a lot of security and watch night services by government authorities on this day. You will also find articles been published by reputed companies in newspapers and magazines. They hope that next year brings a lot of expected changes that they hoped for last year.  

On this very day, youths are more concerned with enjoying meals with friends, exchanging gifts, shopping as they consider this festival as the source of the holiday rather than practicing religion. 

To cap it all, in the modern era, people celebrate New Year for enjoyment and ignore the value and importance of different festivals, so it is a duty of parents, Government and school authorities to educate children by giving proper info about this festival. I wish you a superb new year again. Hope you liked this essay on happy new year..

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What's on the table at Filipino festive celebrations – photo essay

Food is a strong expression of love in the philippines and, for filipinos abroad, it's also a symbol of nostalgia.

Chef Veron Ramos, aka Queen Saba, owner and founder of Queen Saba Cafeteria, home of comforting Filipino food and desserts. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

The Philippines is known to have some of the most extravagant Christmas and New Year celebrations, with festivities kicking off in September .

While others eagerly await December 25 and January 1, the peak of celebration for Filipinos are in the evenings before, called noche buena for Christmas Eve and media noche for New Year's Eve – Spanish terms owing to the South-East Asian country's colonial history.

Aside from the many religious traditions Filipinos follow during the period, food is a focal point of the celebrations. Filipino dining tables are filled with food, believing that a feast will attract good fortune as the year ends. It's also used as a social glue, bringing members of the community together.

Such is also the case in the UAE, where close to a million Filipinos celebrate the holidays every year. Recreating traditional Filipino dishes, from sweet to savoury, is just one way for the expatriate community to conjure a sense of home.

In Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed Port, Queen Saba Cafeteria is a hole-in-the-wall establishment that has been dishing out nostalgic Filipino plates since 2013. Bulk orders are typical during the busy Christmas and New Year's Eve period, as many members of the community work over the holiday and often do not have the time to cook for themselves.

Although most of Queen Saba's dishes are available to order all year round, they are in high demand for the last week of the year. One of the most popular dishes is pancit guisado, a stir-fried noodle dish that is a staple on special occasions.

There are many variations to the Filipino pancit. Queen Saba's version is made of rice noodles with shredded chicken, shrimp and vegetables. It is typically paired with another party favourite, lumpia, or spring rolls, and dipped in the infamous banana ketchup.

Aside from savoury dishes, many Filipinos are fond of sticky desserts. Queen Saba serves a tray of assorted rice cakes called kakanin. The most common ingredients in these desserts are glutinous rice and coconut milk. They are chewy in texture, similar to Japan's popular mochi, and are typically topped with toasted coconut milk curds. They are often elevated with different flavouring elements, such as ube or purple yam , jackfruit, corn and other ingredients.

As is the case with many other nationalities that celebrate Christmas, Filipinos love to do it together – and what's on the table is usually the highlight of the night.

Get the highlights of our exciting Weekend edition every Saturday

Is Chinese New Year a Holiday in the Philippines?

Table of contents.

Chinese people all over the world celebrate the Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year. Since the Diaspora, the Chinese have become prominent members of almost every country’s population. In the Philippines, the Chinese have greatly influenced every aspect of Filipino culture.

So is Chinese New Year a holiday in the Philippines? Filipinos celebrate the Chinese New Year with the 1.3M Chinese-Filipinos (locally called Tsinoys ). Chinese culture is deeply ingrained in Filipinos. So naturally, they join in the festivities with great gusto. The Philippine government usually declares Chinese New Year as a special non-working holiday .

Chinese New Year is celebrated at the beginning of spring that’s why it is also known as the Spring Festival. The Year of the Water Tiger , 2022, begins on February 1st .

Chinese-Filipino History

Relations between Chinese and Filipinos go way back to the galleon trade. The Asian neighbors made trades of silk, porcelain, sweet potato, and tobacco long before the western conquistadores arrived.

During the Spanish era, the colonizers used China as the trade link between Latin America and the Philippines. Relations have become stronger since then and immigration between both countries began. The Chinese established settlements all over the Philippines and became very important members of society.

Today, Chinese-Filipinos are some of the most influential people across all industries in the Philippines. In fact, the heirs of the late Henry Sy of SM Holdings are the richest in the country. Henry Sy was a natural-born Chinese citizen but his family moved to the Philippines when has was very young. When he died in 2019, Mr. Sy’s estimated net worth was at US$19 billion.

Chinatowns in the Philippines

The Philippines is home to the oldest Chinatown outside of China established by the Spaniards in 1594. The Chinese have already built strong trade relations with Filipinos even before the Spanish occupation. The Spaniards established Binondo as a settlement for the Chinese Catholics. They made it close enough to Intramuros so they can keep an eye on their enterprising settlers.

With Chinese-run businesses lining its streets, Binondo serves as the center of commerce in Manila . This is also where the festivities of the Chinese New Year in the Philippines begin. Binondo especially comes alive in the days leading up to the Chinese New Year, with side streets lined with booths and pop-up shops selling lucky charms and traditional Chinese food.

Quezon City

Manila may have the oldest but Quezon City has the biggest Chinatown in the world . Quezon City’s Chinatown covers an astounding 600 hectares of prime real estate. This area serves as home to prominent Chinese-Filipinos and their businesses. Established in 2005, Chinese arches mark Quezon City’s Chinatown at the north and south intersections of Quezon Avenue and Banawe Road. Quezon City’s Chinatown is also an official tourism district.

According to statistics, there is a higher concentration of Chinese-Filipino residents in Quezon City than anywhere else in the Philippines. With relations between the locals and Chinese traders dating back before the Spanish occupation, the area is rich with a history marked by buildings, the local culture, and its citizen’s heritage.

Davao City is home to the only Chinatown in Mindanao . The area is located at the heart of downtown Davao, covering over 40 hectares and four barangays. Four arches mark Davao’s Chinatown:

• Arch of Friendship in Jones Circle
• Arch of Unity on Magsaysay Avenue
• Arch of Peace at the intersection of J.P Laurel and Sta. Ana Avenues
• Arch of Prosperity along Sta. Ana Avenue and Leon Garcia Street

Davao City has a very vibrant Chinese-Filipino community. There is a good number of Buddhist and Taoist temples in the city as well as Chinese private schools that teach Mandarin to their students. My child, Adie, attends one of these schools and she’s quite fluent in Mandarin. Davao’s Chinatown is a great place to shop for affordable textile, clothing, toys, even food. Notable shopping centers like NCCC, DCLA, and Gaisano Mall are located in Davao’s Chinatown.

Iloilo City

The Ilonggo streets of Aldeguer, J.M Basa, and Iznart make up Iloilo City’s Chinese Triangle . During the Spanish occupation, Iloilo’s economy flourished when the Spaniards allowed trade ships to dock on its shores. This paved the way for the enterprising Chinese to set up shop in the city and liven up the local industries.

The Chinese cultivated opium during the Spanish era with a hundred government-sanctioned opium dens in the city. These dens have since closed since the American occupation. Today, Chinese-Ilonggos flourish in this historic city with large businesses run by Tsinoys. Iloilo City’s Chinatown is marked by the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch along Iznart Street.

Chinese New Year Traditions in the Philippines

Chinese New Year all around the world is met with over-the-top festivities . The Chinese are an extremely superstitious people and there are certain traditions and rituals that must be followed when ushering in the new year. In the Philippines, Chinese-Filipinos adhere to a lot of traditions that have a lot to do with luck, prosperity, health, and family ties.

Setting off fireworks is always a part of every big celebration, especially when welcoming a new year. For the Chinese, the loud banging and bright lights of fireworks ward off evil spirits and repel bad luck . Filipinos, even those without Chinese roots, have taken to this tradition during New Year’s Eve.

Accidents involving fireworks are very common during the holidays that Davao City has completely banned firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices in 2002. It has been 20 years since I have seen actual fireworks in Davao City!

The Chinese believe that the lion symbolizes wisdom and power and the dragon-like lion plays a big role during the new year. Accompanied by the music of gongs, drums, and cymbals, the lion dance is the highlight of every big Chinese celebration. This traditional Chinese dance not only brings a festive atmosphere but is also believed to usher in good luck and prosperity.

During Chinese New Year celebrations in the Philippines, dancers perform the lion dance is performed in the main streets of Chinatown. The lion goes around collecting ang pao , the red envelopes usually hung at doors or gates. In some places, a dragon dance is also performed.

Red envelopes , also called ang pao , elicit excitement among youngsters during Chinese New Year. As a tradition, elder Chinese stuff these envelopes printed with Chinese characters with crisp bills and give them away to children and unmarried friends/family. The act symbolizes prosperity and protection for all those involved.

There are certain rules about the amount to be placed inside the ang pao . For one thing, the amount should end with an even number as odd numbers are associated with funerals. Other rules include using brand new notes instead of dirty ones and not using coins.

Technology has enabled the giving away of virtual ang pao through mobile payment applications. This practice may be void of the traditional symbols of luck but the thought is still there.

Every new year brings the hope of new beginnings, luck, and love. During Chinese New Year in the Philippines, Chinese and western zodiacs come together in the form of horoscopes. These are predictions of one’s outlook for the year in terms of wealth, health, luck, and relationships. Astrologers broadcast horoscopes during news shows, talk shows, over the radio, and print them just about anywhere you can read them.

Filipinos take these predictions to heart and often base their actions on what their horoscopes say. I personally believe in hard work and prayers but I still check my Fire Rabbit/Pisces horoscope when I can. After all, malls install larger-than-life displays of horoscopes in the days leading up to Chinese New Year in the Philippines.

Other Traditions

The Filipino-Chinese practice a lot more traditions during Chinese New Year and throughout the rest of the year. Centuries of Chinese traditions interwoven into local tribal beliefs have made Tsinoys very superstitious. Here are some traditions most Filipino-Chinese families still practice:

• During the New Year’s feast, eat tikoy (sticky rice cake) for unity in the family, fish for good fortune, noodles for long life and dumplings for wealth.
• Wear red and decorate your house with red for happiness, good energy and luck. Do not wear anything tattered or ripped because it attracts bad luck.
• Assemble a prosperity bowl filled with rice, 12 eggs (12 months), seven coins/rolled up bills (7 days of the week) and an orange.
• Do not sweep the floor on New Year’s Day! It will sweep your luck away.
• Open all doors and windows to get good fortune in.
• Make sure your rice container is full to symbolize abundance of food for the entire year.
• Do not take any medicine on New Year’s Day to avoid getting ill the entire year.

Chinese Lucky Charms

Charms play a huge role in Feng Shui , the ancient Chinese tradition of harmonizing elements of one’s life. During Chinese New Year, the streets of Chinatowns become a marketplace for charms, crystals and amulets said to bring good fortune (good luck) or ward off evil (bad luck).

Here are seven of the most popular charms people buy during Chinese New Year in the Philippines:

• Red Envelopes for prosperity and protection
• Chinese Emperor coins for financial luck
• Laughing Buddha for happiness
• Fortune cat for success in business
• Three-legged money toad for wealth and protection for the family
• Pi Yao (worn as bracelet charms) for protection against evil and negative energy
• Lucky Bamboo for wealth, health, happiness and longevity

There is no doubt that Chinese traditions are deeply ingrained in Filipino culture. So it’s no surprise that Chinese New Year is a holiday in the Philippines. Everyone, even those without Chinese roots, celebrates the Lunar New Year with great gusto in hopes of attracting the luck the Chinese people seem to always have. The deep friendship between Filipinos and Chinese remains to this day and is something to celebrate itself.

Kung Hei Fat Choi , everyone!

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LIST: Places in Metro Manila to celebrate New Year's Eve with a bang

By Melanie Uson Published Dec 23, 2022 10:57 pm Updated Dec 24, 2022 1:43 am

In the mood for a blast-up celebration this coming New Year's Eve?

Welcoming the new year has always been  incredibly fun when done in the comfort of your own home. But if you want to switch up your family's tradition of celebrating the holiday, you can count on various spots in Metro Manila to let you dance, shout, and jump like never before.

To inspire you to let loose and revenge party after that two-year quarantine, we've listed some of the New Year's Eve celebrations around the metro that will allow you welcome 2023 with a bang.

Eastwood City

East folks don't have to go far to ring in 2023 with a bang, as Eastwood City is bringing back its annual New Year countdown next week. 

Same as every year, 2023's celebration will comprise free events, including musical performances, fireworks displays, the iconic Star Drop, exciting activities, and an after-party. 

Its concert, titled Rock to New Year’s Eve, will start at 9 p.m. and will feature performances from Christian Bautista, Lola Amour, Yeng Constantino, and Zack Tabudlo.  

At the 12 midnight mark, crowds will enjoy the simultaneous fireworks display, titled  Shower of Stars,  which will happen in two locations: the 1880 Building and Global One Building. The events will also feature its traditional Star Drop , getting inspiration from the world-famous Ball Drop in Times Square in New York City.

All throughout the event, guests can enjoy a premium selection of liquors in Tipple Stations around Eastwood City. Meanwhile, get NYE merchandise, snap photos at the sparkling photo wall, and enjoy other activities at the New Year Picks booths.

Cap off your celebration and dance the night away at the NYE After-Party, which will feature a live DJ set.

Crimson Hotel

Welcome the year with '90s retro vibe at Crimson Hotel in Filinvest, Manila. Party like it's 1999 in an  evening filled with dancing, live entertainment, games, raffle prizes, and a buffet to celebrate the start of 2023.

The party will start at 9 p.m. at the Crimson Grand Ballroom, with a fee of P3,500 for adults and P2,500 for kids 2-10 years old. 

You can also book a stay at the hotel with its NYE promo ranging from P11,200 to P25,499.

Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila

Light up the sky like dynamite in Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila's  The Best is Yet to Come  2023 New Year Countdown concert happening at the hotel's Harbor Garden Tent.

Taking inspiration from award-winning South Korean boyband BTS, guests can expect impressive acts from local artists Mr. Merjohn Lagaya, the country's top violinist who performed in a BTS concert in 2017, as well as P-pop boy band VXON, and world-class performer 4th Impact. The party includes a variety of international dishes, fun games, a raffle for guests.

Get your cameras ready before heading to the event as it will feature a New Year's countdown and fireworks display, with the Manila Bay skyline as backdrop. 

Reservations are priced at P7,777 per person and can be booked through Sofitel Manila's website .

Okada Manila

Celebrate the New Year with amazing acts in Okada Manila's Spectacularly Stellar The New Year’s Eve 2023 Grand Countdown .  Guests can enjoy acts from our world-class Pinoy artists Arnel Pineda, KZ Tandingan, TJ Monterde, and Liezel Garcia in the Grand Ballroom at 7 p.m.

Tickets range from P9,000 to P12, 000, inclusive of a buffet and access to t he party at the Fountain Main Deck featuring celebrities Sam Concepcion and Elha Nympha, who will both lead the countdown to 2023. You can also jam to rhythmic sets from Tujamo, Victor Pring, Migs Santillan, Mike Lavarez, and Jenil at the Cove Manila.

Bonifacio Global City

Manifest a brighter year with the stars who will give performances at Bonifacio Global City's #Alive2023 party. 

The event will feature P-pop favorites Sarah Geronimo, Bamboo, Morisette, and Ebe Dancel and will make you sing your hearts out as we welcome the new year. Energizing performances from G-Force and DJ Mike Lavet will further hype you up until the countdown. This will be held at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 at 5th Avenue, BGC Taguig.

TAGS: Eastwood City new year SOFITEL New Year's Eve Okada Manila

Melanie Uson

Melanie Uson is a content producer and a fur mom. When she’s not drowning in deadlines, she is most likely watching sitcoms, crocheting, or thrift-flipping clothes.

Total solar eclipse April 8, 2024 facts: Path, time and the best places to view

In the U.S., 31 million people already live inside the path of totality.

Scroll down to see the list of U.S. cities where the April 8 total solar eclipse will be visible, the duration of the eclipse in those locations and what time totality will begin, according to GreatAmericanEclipse.com .

"Eclipse Across America," will air live Monday, April 8, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on ABC, ABC News Live, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Disney+ and Hulu as well as network social media platforms.

On April 8, 2024, a historic total solar eclipse will cast a shadow over parts of the United States, prompting a mass travel event to the path of totality -- from Texas to Maine and several states and cities in between.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth and, for a short time, completely blocks the face of the sun, according to NASA .

The track of the moon's shadow across Earth's surface is called the path of totality, and to witness the April 8 total solar eclipse, viewers must be within the 115-mile-wide path. To discover when to see the solar eclipse in totality or the partial eclipse in locations across the U.S. outside of the path, check out NASA's Eclipse Explorer tool .

Eclipse travel

In the U.S., 31 million people already live inside the path of totality, bringing the celestial phenomenon to their doorsteps, Michael Zeiler, expert solar eclipse cartographer at GreatAmericanEclipse.com told ABC News.

MORE: Eclipse glasses: What to know to keep your eyes safe

But for individuals outside of the path, investing time and money are needed to experience the event in totality.

Eclipse chasers, or umbraphiles, are individuals who will do almost anything, and travel almost anywhere, to see totality, according to the American Astronomical Society .

"There's a very active community of solar eclipse chasers and we will go to any reasonable lengths to see solar eclipses anywhere in the world," Zeiler said. "All of us are united in pursuing the unimaginable beauty of a total solar eclipse."

MORE: The surprising reason why a Texas county issued a disaster declaration ahead of April total solar eclipse

Bringing together both eclipse experts and novice sky watchers, the total solar eclipse on April 8 is projected to be the U.S.'s largest mass travel event in 2024, according to Zeiler, who likened it to "50 simultaneous Super Bowls across the nation."

"When you look at the number of people expected to come to the path of totality for the solar eclipse, we estimate those numbers are roughly the equivalent of 50 simultaneous Super Bowls across the nation, from Texas to Maine," he said.

Eclipse map, path of totality

In the U.S., the path of totality begins in Texas and will travel through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse, according to NASA.

Best times, places to view eclipse

Below is a list of some American cities where the April 8 total solar eclipse will be most visible -- pending weather forecasts -- the duration of the eclipse in those locations and what time totality will begin, according to GreatAmericanEclipse.com.

• Eagle Pass, Texas, 1:27 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 23 seconds
• Uvalde, Texas, 1:29 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 16 seconds
• Kerrville, Texas, 1:32 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 23 seconds
• Austin, Texas, 1:36 p.m. CDT: 1 minute, 53 seconds
• Killeen, Texas, 1:36 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 17 seconds
• Fort Worth, Texas, 1:40 p.m. CDT: 2 minutes, 34 seconds
• Dallas, Texas, 1:40 p.m. CDT: 3 minutes, 47 seconds
• Little Rock, Arkansas, 1:51 p.m. CDT: 2 minutes, 33 seconds
• Jonesboro, Arkansas, 1:55 p.m. CDT: 2 minutes, 24 seconds
• Poplar Bluff, Arkansas, 1:56 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 8 seconds
• Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 1:58 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 6 seconds
• Carbondale, Illinois, 1:59 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 8 seconds
• Mount Vernon, Illinois, 2:00 p.m. CDT: 3 minutes, 40 seconds
• Evansville, Indiana, 2:02 p.m. CDT: 3 minutes, 2 seconds
• Terre Haute, Indiana, 3:04 p.m. EDT: 2 minutes, 57 seconds
• Indianapolis, Indiana, 3:06 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 46 seconds
• Dayton, Ohio, 3:09 p.m. EDT: 2 minutes, 46 seconds
• Wapakoneta, Ohio, 3:09 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 55 seconds
• Toledo, Ohio, 3:12 p.m. EDT: 1 minute, 54 seconds
• Cleveland, Ohio, 3:13 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 50 seconds

Pennsylvania

• Erie, Pennsylvania, 3:16 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 43 seconds
• Buffalo, New York, 3:18 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 45 seconds
• Rochester, New York, 3:20 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 40 seconds
• Syracuse, New York, 3:23 p.m. EDT: 1 minute, 26 seconds
• Burlington, Vermont, 3:26 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 14 seconds
• Island Falls, Maine, 3:31 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 20 seconds
• Presque Island, Maine, 3:32 p.m. EDT: 2 minutes, 47 seconds

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ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

A Solar Eclipse Means Big Science

By Katrina Miller April 1, 2024

• Share full article

On April 8, cameras all over North America will make a “megamovie” of the sun’s corona, like this one from the 2017 eclipse. The time lapse will help scientists track the behavior of jets and plumes on the sun’s surface.

There’s more science happening along the path of totality →

An app named SunSketcher will help the public take pictures of the eclipse with their phones.

Scientists will use these images to study deviations in the shape of the solar surface , which will help them understand the sun’s churning behavior below.

The sun right now is approaching peak activity. More than 40 telescope stations along the eclipse’s path will record totality.

By comparing these videos to what was captured in 2017 — when the sun was at a lull — researchers can learn how the sun’s magnetism drives the solar wind, or particles that stream through the solar system.

Students will launch giant balloons equipped with cameras and sensors along the eclipse’s path.

Their measurements may improve weather forecasting , and also produce a bird’s eye view of the moon’s shadow moving across the Earth.

Ham radio operators will send signals to each other across the path of totality to study how the density of electrons in Earth’s upper atmosphere changes .

This can help quantify how space weather produced by the sun disrupts radar communication systems.

(Animation by Dr. Joseph Huba, Syntek Technologies; HamSCI Project, Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, the University of Scranton, NSF and NASA.)

NASA is also studying Earth’s atmosphere, but far from the path of totality.

In Virginia, the agency will launch rockets during the eclipse to measure how local drops in sunlight cause ripple effects hundreds of miles away . The data will clarify how eclipses and other solar events affect satellite communications, including GPS.

Biologists in San Antonio plan to stash recording devices in beehives to study how bees orient themselves using sunlight , and how the insects respond to the sudden atmospheric changes during a total eclipse.

Two researchers in southern Illinois will analyze social media posts to understand tourism patterns in remote towns , including when visitors arrive, where they come from and what they do during their visits.

Results can help bolster infrastructure to support large events in rural areas.

Read more about the eclipse:

Our Coverage of the Total Solar Eclipse

Hearing the Eclipse:  A device called LightSound is being distributed to help the blind and visually impaired experience what they can’t see .

Maine Brac es Itself :  Businesses and planning committees are eager for visitors, but some in remote Aroostook County are not sure how they feel  about lying smack in the path of totality.

A Dark Day for Buffalo:  When the sky above Buffalo briefly goes dark  on the afternoon of April 8, the city will transcend its dreary place in the public consciousness — measured as it so often is by snowstorms — if only for about three minutes. The city can’t wait.

Under the Moon’s Shadow:  The late Jay Pasachoff, who spent a lifetime chasing eclipses , inspired generations of students to become astronomers by dragging them to the ends of the Earth for a few precarious moments of ecstasy.

A Rare Return:  It is rare for a total solar eclipse to hit the same place twice — once every 366 years on average. People in certain areas will encounter April 8’s eclipse  about seven years after they were near the middle of the path of the “Great American Eclipse.”

A Small City’s Big Plans:  Let the big cities have their eclipse mega-events. In Plattsburgh, N.Y., success looks different  for everyone stopping to look up.

 No Power Outages:  When the sky darkens during the eclipse, electricity production in some parts of the country will drop so sharply that it could theoretically leave tens of millions of homes in the dark. In practice, hardly anyone will notice  a sudden loss of energy.

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