Although many counties celebrate New Year's on the same day, each country has different traditions. In Southeast Asia they release birds and turtles for good luck in the coming year. In Japan, people hang a rope of straw in front of their houses signifying happiness and good luck. They also begin to laugh at the exact moment the year begins, which is thought to bring good fortune. In British Columbia, Canada, there is a traditional polar bear swim, where people put on their bathing suits and take a swim in the icy water.
Some countries have different names for their New Years' celebrations.
In Greece, New Year's Day is called the Festival of Saint Basil to fill with gifts. In Scotland they celebrate Hogmanay. In some villages, they burn barrels of tar and roll them through the streets, showing that the old year is burned up and the new one can begin. Not all nations use a calendar that begins on January 1st. Chinese New Year is celebrated between January 17th and February 19th, depending upon the time of the new moon each year.