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The New Year brings excitement to our lives. People like to celebrate it in different ways. Some people like to go to parties while others act on their new year resolution. No matter what your idea is, one thing is common-having fun. Well, here are a few ideas how New Year is celebrated around the world. Let's learn about the traditions and who knows you might want to steal one of them.

Well, gone are the days when the New Year was limited to just exchanging greetings or deciding on another resolution! Time has changed and so does the celebration. But do you know that the New Year is not all about parties, having fun in many countries? They do celebrate the new year but in a different way. It carries a list of strange traditions from around the world.

Do you want to know more about it? Continue reading!

Get Ready to Break Plates!

Have you ever decided to break dishes and plates? Well, it may sound weird but that is how people in Denmark celebrate their new year. The inhabitants of this country save all of their plates and dishes that are no longer in use until the 31st of December. They shatter it affectionately against the doors of all their friends as well as family.

Eating 12 Grapes in One Go!



Do you love grapes? If yes then this tradition may make your mouth watered. In Spain, people consider grapes as a mean of bringing good luck to them. It is believed that if you can manage to stuff 12 grapes in your mouth at midnight, you have got good luck for the upcoming year. Sounds interesting? Try it.

Love for Round Things!

People in the Philippines express their love for round things as a part of their new year's traditions. In a country like the Philippines, it is all about cash. People believe that everything should be round which symbolizes coins and brings wealth and prosperity. They love round food, round cloths and everything that seems round.

Take Joy in Ringing Bells!

In Japan, the New Year traditions are associated with the Buddhist belief. People ring all of their bells 108 times in alignment with the belief that it brings cleanness. It is also considered good to be smiling going into the New Year. It is believed that it brings good luck.

Takanakuy Festival in Peru!

Another interesting tradition in the list of New Year's traditions is celebrated as Takanakuy Festival in Peru. Every year, people in this small village of Peru do fist fight to settle their all differences. Then they start off the New Year with a clean slate. What a warm way to retain relationship!

With all of the available technology today, it is very easy to binge on watching Christmas movies. In fact, some channels are bragging about how many new Christmas movies that they will air this year.

It doesn't take long to realize that the template for each is basically the same.

1. Unhappiness - Most of the movies start with characters who are overworked, lonely or experiencing a need that hasn't been filled. Sometimes children seek a parent who has died or left them. Often a romantic relationship breakup has just occurred. Trauma of the past might be the cause for bitterness and refusal to celebrate the season. Regardless of the cause, the stars are usually unhappy at the beginning of the show.
2. Unusual circumstances - Many things can happen. One of the characters might travel to a different location because of their work or desire to escape from the place where they have been hurt. The change allows them to meet another person or perhaps even an angel who is eager to help them. A beautiful new environment might bring them new perspective. A well-meaning individual may provide the wisdom that leads to insight or perhaps the needs of another person leads to a new relationship and way of behaving.
3. Reluctance - There is always a wrench that is thrown into the plot. The main character puts up boundaries to protect themselves from the changes before them or an evil co-star makes trouble. Usually fear of change interferes with moving forward. Misunderstandings can cause jealousy, anger or retreat. Trouble threatens a positive outcome.
4. Clarity - When the characters finally realize that the new person or circumstances are to their benefit, barriers come down. Hearts are opened, and teamwork develops so that the main characters not only find love but also work together on a project that will spread the spirit of Christmas to others.
5. Happy ending - "And they all lived happily ever after" occurs in just ninety minutes. Everyone's dreams, goals and wishes are fulfilled. Even the viewer has a feeling that all is right with the world.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could see everything all work in our personal lives in less than two hours? Families would get along. There would be enough money to pay all the bills and go on a cruise. We would be deliriously happy.

Unfortunately, real life doesn't work that way. Some people have lonely Christmases. Many cry over hurts from the past that have not been resolved. Lack of healthy communication can cause relationships to deteriorate further. Not everyone can afford to escape to a new location. Angels to not always show up just when they are needed.

Yes, life can be difficult!

But the good news is that all of us have choices. We can reach out to those around us, improve our communications and lower our expectations for family and self. Also, we can learn how to let go of the past hurts and problem-solve in a healthy manner.

Christmas movies are about positive change. You might not be able to do this so quickly in your personal life, but you can make positive change in your life if you begin by deciding to do so.

Perhaps you are ready to start working with a psychologist who is trained to help you consider your options and make positive choices.

Today may be the very best day to give yourself an early Christmas gift by booking an appointment.

When it comes to making your own Halloween costume, there is perhaps no costume genre that has more options than an alien from outer space. Whether you want to be creepy and kooky or odd and funny, here are some space alien costume ideas that are sure to launch your next Halloween party into orbit.

For an eclectic, futuristic, alien look, the first thing you'll want to do is dye your hair a funky, space-age color. Bright green or blue will look best. There are a variety of temporary hair color products available to help you make this look without a permanent commitment. You can find temporary hair coloring sprays in most stores around the Halloween season or in costume stores year-round.

Another hair coloring option that's been growing in popularity is hair chalk. This temporary hair coloring comes in sticks. It's guaranteed not to come off on your hands once it's applied to your hair. Best of all, it's available in super-vibrant colors and washes out with shampoo.

Once you have your hair dyed, you'll a variety of options for your face. You can use green face paint and apply bright green lipstick for an out-of-this-world look. Another fun idea is to skip the face paint, look for sticky jewels, and apply them in patterns all over your face. If you'd like your alien to have multiple eyes, that's an easy fix, as well. Simply buy a sheet of those sticky, googol eyes that are available in craft stores. Apply many eyes across your forehead (or all over your face). Here's looking at you, kid.

For easy alien attire, simply look for a long-sleeved shirt and tights in bright, loud colors. Try to pair colors (like neon blue and bright green) that no normal earthling would ever wear together. Find a shimmer, shiny belt to accessorize your space get-up.

Every alien needs a spaceship, and you can have one, too. A do-it-yourself spaceship can be made with an inflatable inner tube, paint, and ribbon. After blowing up the inner tube, you'll need to spray paint it the color of your choice. Alien green works, but you can also spray paint it metallic silver for a more realistic UFO look. If you'd like, take additional paint and decorate it up with portal windows, seems, a hatch door, or whatever you'd like.

You'll need ribbon that's the same color that you painted your UFO. Cut and tie the ribbon around the inner tube/UFO in four separate sections: two in what will be the front and two in the back. You're going to wear this UFO suspenders-style, so measure and cut two longer pieces of ribbon for that purpose. One will go over each shoulder and tie to the ribbon on the UFO in the front and the back. Once you get dressed up in your alien attire, step into the UFO and pull the ribbon straps up over each shoulder, securing the UFO around your waist. Now you're ready for blast-off!