An interactive cultural timeline

31 Dec. - 1st Jan. : New Year’s Eve and New Year's Day

A fresh start in life, everyone tries to be pleasant and think positive.

31 Dec. - 1st Jan. : New Year’s Eve and New Year's Day

London New year’s parade. Photo Dark Delicious (CC BY-NC-SA).
New year cuppies. Photo Moonberry (CC BY-NC-ND).

New Year Eve and New Year Day are celebrated with parties all over the USA. People invite friends and family, watch television NYE shows and enjoy the New Year celebration fireworks in Time Square, New York city. At the stroke of midnight everybody hugs and kisses and wishes each other a happy new year. New year resolutions to a healthier and better start in life are made on the occasion, eat less ; exercise more, be nicer to everyone.

Students have two weeks holiday from school or university at this time of the year.
31 Dec. - 1st Jan. : Hogmanay

Scotland affirms its national identity in original ways, also on New Year.

31 Dec. - 1st Jan. : Hogmanay

Fireworks over Edinburgh on New Year's Eve. Photo Robbie Shade (CC BY).
Street theatre for the Night Afore, Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations. Photo Katy MacDugall (CC BY-NC-SA).

Hogmanay is the name of new year celebrations in Scotland.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay is a four day festival filled with lots of events, music, fireworks. There are spectacular parades featuring huge flying balloons in fantastic shapes lead along the streets of the capital of Scotland. It is the biggest New Year's Party in the World!
6th Jan. : Twelfth Night Celebrations and Wassailing (London)

The theatre world in London revives medieval pagan traditions in great style.

6th Jan. : Twelfth Night Celebrations and Wassailing (London)

Father Christmas. Photo Dean Ayres (CC BY-NC-SA).
Ignorance. Photo Dean Ayres (CC BY-NC-SA).
Straw bear and handler. Photo Kev747 (CC BY-NC-SA).

Twelfth Night is held on the Bankside of the Thames by Shakespeare's Globe theatre , in London. It is the celebration of ancient Midwinter seasonal customs called wassailing, the blessing of trees and earth to obtain a good harvest. Costumed actors walk along the streets.
3rd Monday in Jan. : Martin Luther King Day

This federal holiday in the USA recalls the inspirational action of Dr Martin Luther Jr.

3rd Monday in Jan. : Martin Luther King Day

Negro baseball league. Photo Dbking (CC BY).
I Have a Dream. Photo Tony Fischer (CC BY).

Civil Rights leader and Nobel Prize winner Dr Martin Luther King Jr has become an inspirational figure for the civil rights movement demanding equality for all American citizens. The January annual celebration around his name is an occasion for recalling the history of the political struggle of the 1950s and 60s and for reviewing the advancement of civil rights in the USA.
29th Jan. : Up Helly Aa (Lerwick, Shetland isles, UK)

Up Helly Aa the celebration of Shetland Viking heritage is the largest Fire Festival in Europe.

29th Jan. : Up Helly Aa (Lerwick, Shetland isles, UK)

Lerwick, 2011. Photos Vincenzo Fileccia (CC BY-SA).

Up Helly Aa originated in the 1880s to keep alive the memory of the Scandinavian settlers who peopled the islands. Since then the festival has been celebrated regularly every year in Lerwick the capital of the Shetland archipelago. 45 groups of men in Viking costumes, called squads march through the city and visit different symbolical places. About 1000 marchers in Old Norse warrior attire take part. The official proclamation, or Bill, will be presented to the public and read. An impressive night procession lit by burning torches end to the sea shore where a wooden galley will be set afire. The elected Jarl Guizer is the organizing leader of the feast, his own squad gets every year fresh original uniforms and weapons. The rest of the night is spent with the different squads dancing and making merry with music food and drink in a dozen of halls around the city.