New Year’s Eve in Barcelona

To be honest, I have never thought that I would celebrate New Year’s Eve in a foreign country. But 2014 just liked a turning point. In this year, there were too many first times for me. Because of Christmas holiday, I celebrated New Year’s Eve in Barcelona, which was quite beautiful.

When it came to 22:00 o’clock, we drank some wine at hotel and then went to Spanish Square. Before we went out, the host gave twelve grapes to each of us. And he said it was a tradition in Span, which consists of eating a grape with each bell strike at midnight of December 31. It will lead to a new year of luck and prosperity.

When we arrived in Spanish Square, I was totally shocked. That situation just reminded me of a Chinese word, People Mountain People Sea. At that moment, I knew how important New Year’s Eve is for western people. Some people in the crowd wore costumes. At the final countdown, people ate twelve grapes with the rhythm of each number. When New Year came, people opened their champagne and reveled together.

Different from western people, Chinese people will pay much attention to Chinese New Year’s Eve (It will be celebrated on February 18th this year. According to Chinese lunisolar calendar, New Year’s Eve is the last day of the last month, whose date will change from year to year in western calendar. Chinese New Year is also called as “Spring Festival”, lasting from New Year’s Eve to the fifteenth day of the first month in New Year, which is Lantern Festival. On the eve of the festival, people won’t go out and just stay at home, closing the door. The whole families get together for a magnificent dinner and usually watch Spring Festival Evening Gala. People stay up late and at midnight, people open the door for good luck and let off fireworks.)

No matter where I am, New Year’s Eve in Barcelona will be remembered in my lifetime.