Happy New Year Wishes
Tuesday, 11 December 2012 |
Happy New Year 2012
Wednesday, 7 December 2011 |
New Year Day Celebrations
New Year's Day marks the end of one year and beginning of the other. New Year is celebrated by all countries that measure yearly calendars. Most countries across the globe follow the Gregorian calendar and celebrate their New Year's Day on January 1. In several countries January 1 is a holiday. Grand bashes, balls and parades are organized to welcome the New Year and bid adieu to the old.
History of New Year's Day Celebrations
New Year's Day is said to be the oldest and most universally celebrated holiday. The tradition of celebrating New Year's Day is said to have started by Romans circa 153 BC. Romans celebrated their New Year on March 1 according to old Roman Calendar. Even before the Romans, Mesopotamians are said to have celebrated new years at the time of the vernal equinox in mid-March around 2000 BC. After a series of changes in calendar, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII instituted the Gregorian calendar still in use today, and set January 1 as New Year's Day.
New Year's Day Eve
Celebrations for New Year's Day begin on the eve of the New Year on December 31. Late night parties and bashes are organized to give farewell to the year gone by and welcome the New Year. Just as the clock strikes for midnight, people hug everyone around and wish each other a 'Happy New Year'. Cakes are cut and firecrackers are burst to give a celebratory welcome to the upcoming year.
Exchanging Greetings on New Year's Day
On the New Year's Day people wear bright new clothes and spring clean their houses. At several places people follow the tradition of 'first footing' and do not leave the house before someone comes in first. First footing person should ideally get some gifts and is accorded a warm welcome by the people. Later, people move out to exchange greetings and New Year gifts with their friends and dear ones. Popular New Year gifts include cake, flowers, chocolates, decorative and New Year Greeting cards. The idea behind exchanging gifts and greetings is to give warm wishes for a New Year and strengthen the bond of love shared with dear ones.
New Year's Day Resolutions
There is also a very strong tradition to make New Year Resolutions on January 1. This is done to give away old bad habits and adopt better ones. Some of the most popular New Year resolutions include weight reduction, quitting smoking, giving up junk food and being punctual. Though it has been noticed that many people fail to keep their resolutions a week after New Year's Day, the importance of making a fresh New Year's Day resolution every year is still the same.
New Year's Day Outing
Several countries observe a holiday on New Year's Day. And in some countries, especially those dominated by Christians have their Christmas holiday extended till New Year's Day. Hence, people have all the time and reasons to celebrate the occasion. A popular trend is to go out for vacations in tourist places. Those who are unable to go in far off places go out for picnics, campings, trekking, skiing etc. A huge rush is also observed in malls, theaters and restaurants as many people especially, youngsters celebrate the New Year's by moving out with their dear ones. Some countries organize New Year Day Parades and Sports, many people participate and witness these joyful events. Those who prefer a bit of sobriety organize New Year's Day parties in their homes and spend the first day of the year with their friends and dear ones.
New Year's Day Review
In modern times, media, such as newspapers, magazines, radio and television make a review of the pas year. They give reports recollecting the events of the past and make predictions for the coming year. Various types of astronomical predictions for the coming year are also made which are lapped up by people too eager to peep into the coming year.
Happy New Greeting Card
New Year Recipes
Add zest to this years New Year celebrations by making yummy and lip-smacking dishes! Given here is a collection of New Year recipes inclusive of snacks, drinks, cakes and desserts. Try them out for your family and friends and delight them with your culinary skills. In case you too have an interesting New Year special recipe, please share it with us and help us better this page. Your recipe will be posted on this page along with your name.
List of New Year's Recipes
Frankies
Beetroot Sandwich
Sweet French Toast
Dahi ke Kabab
Gajar ki Kanji
Chocolate Brownie
Malpua
Frankies
Ingredients
2 cups: Flour
1 tsp: Dry yeast
1 tsp: Oil
1 tsp: Sugar
Salt to taste or 1 tsp
Lukewarm water to knead doughv Filling: Vegetarian or non-vegetarian (as per your choice)
Oil to deep fry
Method
Dissolve sugar in 1 cup lukewarm water.
Sprinkle dry yeast over it and leave in a draught - free place to froth.
Now, sieve the flour, add salt and rub in the 1 tsp oil.
Knead into a soft dough till the dough feels firm and elastic and no longer sticky.
Place dough in a deep vessel, well dusted with flour, and cover vessel with cling film or a thick damp cloth. Keep in a draught-free place to rise.
Shape dough into small balls. Roll into flat rounds.
Place filling in the center, lengthwise and cover to seal from all sides, using water to pinch and seal. Deep fry till brown and serve.
Beetroot Sandwich
Ingredients
1 no: French bread, halved length-wise
250 gm: Cooked beetroot-peeled and sliced
150 gm: Sauted mushrooms-sliced
100 gm: Sliced cheese
1 no: Apple, sliced
2 tbsp: Olive oil / melted butter
1 tsp: Chopped garlic
1 tbsp: Olive oil
1 tbsp: Basil leaves
1 tbsp: Olive oil
Pepper to season
A handful of young beetroot leaves
A dash of red wine/ vinegar
A squeeze of lemon juice
A dash of olive oil for finish
Method
Brush the bread with oil mixed with garlic.
Sprinkle with pepper.
Place under a grill to color.
Set beetroot slices aside.
Toss leaves in a pan with wine, lemon juice and oil.
Allow it to wilt over a moderate flame.
Toss apple and basil in hot oil. Season it.
Arrange all ingredients on the bread in any order.
Serve immediately with a sprinkling of olive oil over the top.
Sweet French Toast
Ingredients
8 slices of one day old bread
3 no: Eggs
125 ml: Cream
1 1/2 tbsp: Castor Sugar
1/2 tsp: Grated sweet lime rind 1 tbsp: Orange juice
1 tsp: Cinnamon powder
100 gm: Butter
Sifted icing sugar
Cut fruits
Method
Whisk eggs, cream, sugar, rind, spice and juice together.
Dip bread into egg mixture.
Heat half the butter in a frying pan. Add half the bread. Cook until golden on both sides.
Repeat with remaining butter and bread.
Serve toast dusted with icing sugar and accompanied with a little fruit if you wish.
Dahi ke Kabab
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups: Hung yogurt
1/4 cup: Besan (chick pea flour) - dry roasted over low heat till slightly darker
1 tbsp: Finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp: Finely chopped onions
1 tsp: Finely chopped green chillies
1 tsp: Roasted and powdered cumin seeds
1 tsp: Salt
Oil / Ghee - for frying
Method
Mix all the ingredients except the ghee, and chill for an hour.
Shape the mixture into flat rounds (like tikkis) and pan fry over medium heat till brown on both sides. The kababs are quite soft, so you have to handle them carefully.
Serve hot with green chutney.
Gajar ki Kanji
Ingredients
250 gm: Carrots-preferably the dark variety (called kaali gajar)
3 tbsp: Powdered mustard seeds
6 cups: Water
2 tbsp: Salt
Method
Peel the carrots, and cut them into approx. 7 cm / 3" pieces, not too thin (about finger size).
Boil the water and add the carrots to it. When the water comes to a boil again, shut off the heat and leave to cool.
Add the salt and the mustard powder, and transfer into a jar with a lid, and keep this in the sun, to mature.
In sunny weather, it takes 3-4 days, for the taste of the mustard to become strong.
Do not keep the jar in the sun, after it is ready.
Chocolate Brownie
Ingredients
6 tbsp: Cocoa
2 no: Eggs
50 gm: Chopped walnuts
150 gm: Flour
100 ml: Milk
200 gm: Sugar
100 gm: Butter
Method
Melt the butter, sugar, cocoa and milk together.
Add remaining ingredients.
Stir to mix.
Bake in a square baking tin at 180 degree C for 25 minutes.
Cool and cut into squares.
Malpua
Ingredients
250 ml: Yoghurt 3 tbsp: Flour 1 tsp: Roasted Fennel Seeds 3-4 tbsp: Ghee / oil for frying For Sugar Syrup
200 gm sugar
200 ml water
Rind of 1 sweet lime
Method
Mix yoghurt, flour and fennel seeds.
Stir until a smooth batter is formed.
Heat ghee / oil in a pan and make dumplings by frying a spoonful of the batter at a time over a gentle flame.
Remove from the pan and drain.
Prepare the syrup with sugar, water and rind. Dip the malpuas into the syrup.
Garnish with sweet lime segments and cream. Decorate with silver leaf.
Serve hot / cold.
New Year Special
» New Year Messages
» New Year Celebrations
» New Year Resolutions
» New Year Recipes
» New Year Evening
» New Year Prayers
» Party Ideas
» New Year Cruise
» Baby New Year
» New Year Fun
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