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Christmas has come and gone for another year. After all the wrappings, trees decorations are put away, we begin to think about the new year ahead of us. Here’s hoping 2022 will be a good year for us all.

As adults we often make new year’s resolutions and attend gatherings to ring out the old and ring in the new Children can also be involved in thinking about ways they can make the new year better for themselves. It may be a good time to talk about school concerns, homework, being more active or being cooperative at home. When making resolutions, simple and doable is the key. Keeping it fun is also important.

Not only is the New Year a time to talk about changing for the better, it can also be a time to learn about this holiday and how it is celebrated in other countries. There are a wide range of celebrations outside of the ball drop in Times Square, New York. Noise making on new year’s eve is a tradition in many cultures. We often have party horns to blow in the USA. In Bali, people ignite firecrackers and play drums and gongs to drive away evil spirits before the new year begins. Ibo children in Nigeria, run inside and slam the doors. They remain inside until the old year is gone. On new year’s day, everyone runs out and welcomes the new year with applause. In Ecuador, people list everyone’s faults and burn a straw man at midnight on December 31. The Lunar New Year is celebrated between mid-January and mid-February. This is when spring begins in China. Children are encouraged to stay up late and receive good luck money wrapped in red paper. A paper or silk dragon parades in the streets. Other countries have special new year celebrations, including the Diwali Festival in India, and Rosh Hashanah celebrated by Jews around the world. If your child is interested in reading more about how new years is celebrated around the world, come by the Ripberger Public Library in Kenbridge or the Victoria Public Library in Victoria. We have books that will make this a fun topic to explore, including Happy New Year by Emery Bernhard and We Celebrate New Year by Bobbie Kalman.

Connie Krupa is the children’s program coordinator for the Lunenburg County Public Library System. She can be reached at cckrupa@embarqmail.com.