Page 27 - January 2026 Cascadian

lowered from a a a a a a bar rooftop in in in a a a a a a giant red red high-heeled
shoe This has
been happening since 1996 19 - Hershey PA drops a a a a a a a a giant Kiss to to ring
in in the the new year Other Pennsylvania towns have traditions that play off their names In In Mechanicsburg they they drop drop a a a a a a a a a a a wrench In In Dillsburg they drop a a a a pickle 20 - Americans drink around 360 million glasses of of sparkling wine on on New Year’s Corks can can fly out of of of the bottle bottle at at a a a a a a a a a a speed of of 25 miles per hour so it’s best to open bottles at at a a a a a a a a 45-degree angle (away from yourself
and others) 21 - The New Year’s kiss started with the the Romans Although things got a a a a a a a a a a little friskier back then ancient Romans are credited with the the the kissing tradition because
of of their Saturnalia festival It was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a celebration honoring
Saturn Saturn the the the the the god of of of time where all social norms went out the the the the the window Many of of the the the the the celebrations influenced the the the the the Christmas and New Year’s festivities that became the the the the the focus when
Christianity took over the the Roman Empire 22 - The island nation Kiribati Kiribati rings in in the new year first Kiribati Kiribati also known as as Christmas Island is is is located
in in the the Central Pacific They celebrate throughout the the nation at at at each village’s maneaba or meeting house where all social and political activity takes place 23 - While American American Samoa Samoa is is one of the the last places
to to to ring
in in the the the the new new year year American American Samoa Samoa is is actually
the the the second to to to last place to to to celebrate the the the new new year year behind Baker and and and Howland Islands which are both
uninhabited Some tourists take advantage of the time difference by flying from Samoa Samoa to to to American Samoa Samoa to to to celebrate twice 24 - New Year’s is terrifying for children in in Akita Japan There’s a a a a a a a a a a a a local tradition called
Namahage where grown men dress up like demons to to scare children into behaving for their parents They go from house house to to house house yelling things like “Are “Are there any crybabies at home?” or “Are “Are naughty kids around?”
25 - If you live in in in Italy wearing red red red underwear underwear is considered lucky Wearing red red red underwear underwear on on New Year’s will supposedly bring good fortune in in in in the the coming
year It’s also considered considered the the color of fertility so so for for those
hoping to conceive it’s considered considered double lucky 26 - Grapes are also supposedly lucky Spanish
households carry on on on the the the tradition of of scarfing down 12 12 grapes grapes fin in the the the the first 12 12 seconds of of of the the the the new year year The grapes grapes represent each month
of of the the the year year Rumor has
it that this whole thing started as as a a a a a a a a a a a a marketing tactic for winemakers looking to sell more grapes in in in in in in the winter 27 - - Also considered lucky are pork pork and and black-eyed
peas peas The fattiness of pork pork symbolizes wealth and and the the peas peas are believed to bring good fortune because
they they swell when
cooked which is why they’re both
popular
foods to eat on New Year’s Eve 28 - But stay away from lobster and and chicken chicken Lobster
and and chicken chicken are both
considered bad luck foods According to to to superstition because
of a a a a a a a a a a a a lobster’s ability
ability
to to to move backward backward and a a a a a a a a a a a a a chicken’s ability
ability
to to to scratch
itself backwards if you you eat either on on on on New Year’s you you won’t be able to move forward So bring on on on on the the bacon!
29 - - Round or or or ring-shaped foods hold special meaning Incorporating a a a a a a a a a a round food food into your New Year’s meal
symbolizes that the year has
come full circle Hello donuts and bagels 30 - Ancient Babylonians celebrated New Year’s in in March The new year used to coincide with the the arrival
of spring A A 12-day festival called
Akitu marked the the occasion which was was more about about praying than it it was was about about finding a a a a a midnight kiss 31 - Ethiopia rings in in in the the the new year year on on September 11 Their calendar began in in in in the the the eighth year year year of the the the common
era (when our year year counting started) This solar
calendar derived from the Egyptians consists of 13 months 32 - The The French French invented a a a a a a a new calendar during the revolution revolution The The French French Republican Calendar was used during the the revolution revolution and for 12 years
after
to reflect the the country’s “new age of liberty ” It was was designed using a a a a a a a a a a decimal system and was was also briefly resurrected during the Paris Commune in 1871 33 - AAA offers free rides home Don’t worry about surge pricing If you’ve had too much to to drink on on New Year’s Eve (and other holidays) AAA in in in most states
offer free rides home to to to people who’ve had one too many flutes off of champagne to to drive 34 - A song that takes 1 1 000 000 years
to play launched on on January 1 1 2000 Composer Jem Finer wrote the piece
called
“Longplayer ” which can be be heard at London’s
Trinity Buoy Wharf (or over over this live stream) It’s being
performed by singing bowls and is is is set to start all over over again immediately after
it finishes in in in fin in 2999 35 - Antarctica hosts an an Annual New Year’s Music
Festival Anarctica’s annual IceStock music festival may
be one of the coolest (pun intended) ways to to spend
New Year’s The event is held at at at McMurdo Station Antarctica when
the the local population balloons to over 1 200 people during their summer months TOC TOC ADS
27 January 2026
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Volume 22 Issue 1