New Year

New Year's Day in Australia
New Year's Day 2014
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
New Year's Day 2015
Thursday, January 1, 2015

New Year's Day is on January 1 and is the first day of a new year in theGregorian calendar, which is used in Australia and many other countries. Due to its geographical position close to the International Date Line, Australia is one of the first countries in the world towelcome the New Year.

What do people do?
In Sydney, the start of the New Year is heralded by a huge fireworks display. It is estimated that one to one-and-a-half million people watch the display at theSydney Harbour. In other towns and cities, smaller displays are organized by local authorities.
For many people, New Year's Day is a time to recover from New Year's Eve parties the evening before.Others use the day to travel home to end the summer vacation or to spend time with family members. People who enjoy horse racing may watch or bet on the Perth Cup. The race is run over 3200 meters (justover two miles) at the Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Western Australia. The prize money for the race totals 400,000 Australian dollars.



New Year's Eve in Australia
Many Australians annually celebrateNew Year’s Eve with parties, music and other forms of entertainment on December 31. New Year’s Eve is the day before New Year’s Day in the Gregorian calendar, which is used by many Australians.

NewYear's Eve events in Australia include masquerade balls or parties.
©iStockphoto.com/knape
What do people do?
Major Australian cities have special New Year’s Eve events that include parades, musicand entertainment. Celebrities are often invited as guests of honor or hosts for large New Year’s Eve events. New Year’s Eve balls are popular and have various themes such as masquerade, black-tie andformal wear, tropical, or gangster and glamour. Prizes for most intriguing or best-dressed outfits are awarded at these events. Many people also prepare their New Year’s resolutions for the next...