Dictionary

Father Time: Symbol of the old year or the year that has passed; personifies time itself. Usually depicted as an old bearded man in a robe carrying an hourglass.

Feast of Christ's Circumcision: The early Christians' religious observance that is celebrated on New Year's Day; this is still observed by a number of denominations.

fireworks: A traditional part of New Year's celebrations in large cities and venues.

first footing: This is a superstition that the first person to enter your home after midnight on New Year's Eve will influence your year to come. Ideally, the first footer should be a tall, dark-haired man. Blonde and redhead first footers bring bad luck, and female first footers are said to bring disaster upon the home.

First Night: A yearly non-alcoholic, family-friendly New Year's celebration that takes place in over 60 cities and features performing artists, community events, parades and fireworks displays.

Gregorian Calendar: The most widely used calendar in the world and a variation of the Julian Calendar; establishes January 1 as New Year's Day.

hog: The animal symbolizes prosperity and is considered good luck if eaten on New Year's Day.

January 1: The day that New Year's Day is celebrated in modern America. This was decided by Roman leaders in 153 B.C. and affirmed by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. when he established the Julian Calendar.