This document discusses various New Year traditions from around the world. It provides details on traditions in Scotland like parading with burning balls of fire, in Denmark like throwing broken dishes at neighbors' doors, and in Chile like celebrating in cemeteries. The document also lists popular New Year's resolutions like losing weight, saving money, reducing stress, and mentions Chinese zodiac animals. It notes the year 2012 was the year of the water dragon and wishes everyone a happy new year.

2. English Club
• Name
• What animal from chinese zodiac are you?
• How will you plan to celebrate this NY?
• What NY do you have?
• Your NY wishes to the previous speaker

3. New Year Resolution
A New Year resolution is a commitment
that an individual makes to one or more
lasting personal goals, projects, or the
reforming of a habit. According to
Gretchen Rubin (author of best-seller "The
Happiness Project"): "You hit a goal, you
achieve a goal. You keep a resolution".
This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as advantageous. A
New Years Resolution is generally a goal someone sets out to
accomplish in the coming year. Some examples include resolutions
to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to
become more environmentally responsible. A key element to a New
Years Resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is
made in anticipation of the New Year, and new beginnings.

4. Popular goals include resolutions
to:
-Improve health: lose weight,
exercise more, eat better, drink less
alcohol, quit smoking
-Improve finances: get out of debt,
save money
-Improve career: get a better job
-Improve education: improve
grades, get a better education,
learn something new (such as a
foreign language or music)
-Improve self: become more
organized, reduce stress, be less
grumpy, manage time, be more
independent, perhaps watch less
television
-Take a trip
-Volunteer to help others

5. Chinese zodiac
(Sheng Xiao)

6. Legend
A long time ago in China, the Jade emporer decided that there shold
be a way for measuring time. On the day of his birthday, he told all of
the animals that there was going to be a swimming race. The first
twelve animals that would finish the race across the fast flowing river
would recieve medals, and would have a year of the zodiac named
after them…

7. Wu Xing
This Calendar is connection
with
Elements: wood, fire, earth,
metal
and water.
So there are 12 animals and
5 elements
In Chinese horoscope.
Multiply this numbers we get
full cycle of 60 years.

8. 2012 will be a year of black water
dragon

9. NY Traditions around the world
A dangerous Scottish festival around the New Year is the festival of Hogmanay.
The Hogmanay Festival is a New Year celebration with a dash of Scottish flair.
This festival takes place on the 31st of December every year. Men parade
through the streets holding blazing balls of fire. They continuously swing these
balls over their heads. According the the locals, the balls of fire bring purification
and sunshine. This celebration dates back as far as the Vikings.

10. NY Traditions around the world
A strange and weird Danish New Year tradition is throwing breakable
dishes at neighbor’s door. Strangely this makes them happy instead of
annoying them. The family with the most huge tower of broken plates,
glasses, cups and other crockery is considered to be the most lucky
one because it means that they have lots of loyal friends.

11. NY Traditions around the world
Talca is a small town in Chile with a very strange, weird and freaky New Year
custom. The people of Talca are celebrating the new year with their dead
relatives for the past 15 years. The doors of the cemetery are opened for the
local public by the Town’s mayor at 11 pm sharp. People are welcomed in the
cemetery with light classical music and dim blinking lights making the cemetery
are perfect party place.

12. NY Traditions around the world
South America - Residents all wear brightly colored underpants. Those who
wear red, are hoping for love in the new year. Those who chose to wear
yellow, are wishing for money.
Spain - At midnight, Spaniards consume 12 grapes and try to consume all of
them by the time the clock stops chiming.
Puerto Rico - When it’s New Year’s Eve in Puerto Rico, they throw buckets
of water out the window to “clean” the old year out. They also clean their
homes and decorate them, as it is supposed to symbolize the “cleaning” of
the spirit.

13. NY wishes
Tradition wish is “Happy New Year” – you can tell it to
someone,
send it in sms or write in the greeting card

14. There will be no English Club at January 1st
and 8th
because of holidays