Japan:
　　When the New Year comes, all the temples1 sound their bells to drive away the evils. People go to bed at the last strike. People present each other towels2 with their names signed on New Year's Day.

Burma3:　
　　People like to hold "frog races" or races holding bowls full of water on New Year's Day.

Indonesia4:
　　People will make self-criticism during the New Year calls and ask for forgiveness.

Nepal:
　　The New Year feast5 lasts a whole week. Women serve drinks to the guests but they will avoid men carrying water jars.

Turkey6:
　　The New Year does not begin until the new moon rises. People all rush to the mosques7 for celebrations.

Egypt:
　　Special tables are set before the houses of the peasants. People sacrify8 beans, wheat and seedlings9 to god, praying for good harvest of the new year.

Nigeria10:
　　Young people all take baths in rivers and seek lovers on New Year's Day.

Madagascar11:
　　Married couples present their parents with chicken tails and their brothers and sisters with chicken legs to express their sincere greetings.

France:
　　People drink all the wine on New Year's Eve, therefore, many French people spend the New Year's Day in toxication12.

Portugal13:
　　The ten days around the New Year's day are the high tide of bull-fighting.

Switzerland14:
　　Swiss people go to snow-covered mountains in groups on the New Year's Day. They hold that playing in ice and snow will forget all the        miseries.

Germany:
　　The Germans greet the New Year with fire- works and crackers. Many villages and towns hold tree climb contests. The winners are called“New Year Heroes”.

Bulgaria15:
　　All the families turn off their lights for three minutes at the last strike of the New Year's Eve.

Greece:
　　People elect beautiful girls to act as “angels” to send gifts to the children of all the households.

Paraguay16:
　　All the people in Paraguay eat cold food for the five days before the New Year's Day. The custom is to commemorate17 their revolutionary martyrs.

Brazil18:
　　The Brazilian people pull their ears during the New Year greetings.

Canada:
　　Instead of clearing away snow, the Canadians pile snow around their houses on New Year's Day to keep away evils.

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日本：
　　新年来到时，所有的庙宇都鸣钟驱魔。人们在最后一响钟声时上床就寝。在元旦人们互赠签有自己名字的毛巾。

缅甸：
　　人们喜欢在元旦举行“蛙式赛跑”或端着盛满水的碗赛跑。

印度尼西亚：
　　人们在拜年时往往作自我批评，请求宽恕。

尼泊尔：
　　新年欢宴要持续一星期。妇女为客人端上饮料，但她们要回避持水罐的男人。

土耳其：
　　新年要到新月升起时才开始。即时人们涌到清真寺举行庆祝活动。

埃及：
　　农户家门前摆上特制的桌子，把豆子、小麦和幼苗祭献给神，祈求新年收成好。

尼日利亚：
　　元旦这一天年轻人都到河里洗澡，选择心仪之人。

马达加斯加：
　　已婚夫妇向父母赠送鸡尾，向兄弟姐妹赠送鸡腿，以
表示诚挚的祝愿。

法国：
　　人们在除夕之夜把家中的酒喝光，因此许多法国人酩酊大醉过新年。

葡萄牙：
　　元旦前后十天是斗牛的高峰期。

瑞士：
　　元旦那天，瑞士人成群结队地来到白雪覆盖的山上。他们认为在冰雪里玩耍会使人忘记一切忧愁。

德国：
　　德国人以爆竹和烟花迎接新年。许多村镇举行爬树比赛，获胜者被称为“新年英雄”。

保加利亚：
　　除夕钟声敲响最后一响时，家家户户都要熄灯三分钟。

希腊：
　　人们推选美丽的少女当“天使”，给各家各户的孩子们送礼物。

巴拉圭：
　　所有的巴拉圭人在元旦前五天中都吃冷食。这一习俗是为了纪念革命烈士。

巴西：
　　巴西人在拜年时要扯耳朵。

加拿大：
　　元旦那天，加拿大人不但不“自扫门前雪”，反而在房屋四周堆上雪，据以防止邪魔入侵。

 

1. temple n．庙宇
2． towel  n．毛巾
3． Burma  n．缅甸（亚洲）
4． Indonesia  n．印度尼西亚
5． feast n．宴会

6． Turkey  n．土耳其
7． mosque  n．清真寺
8． sacrify  v．供奉
9． seedling n．种子繁殖，苗
10．Nigeria  n．尼日利亚（非洲）
11．Madagascar  n．马达加斯加（非洲）
12．toxication  n．中毒
13．Portugal  n．葡萄牙（欧洲）
14．Switzerland  n．瑞士（欧洲）
15．Bulgaria n．保加利亚（欧洲）
16．Paraguay  n．巴拉圭（南美洲）
17．commemorate  v．纪念
18．Brazil  n．巴西