Features of New Years celebration in Egypt

In Egypt, it is not customary to celebrate the New Year on December 31, but tourists still do not remain without a holiday. The best hotels decorate their restaurants and prepare festive dinners, animation programs, star shows, so you won’t be bored.

How is the New Year traditionally celebrated in Egypt?

New Year is the most anticipated holiday in all countries, it is the most anticipated event of the year, a national holiday for most countries. In Egypt, New Year’s Eve from December 31 to January 1 is not a traditional celebration, but rather a way to earn money, following fashion, and also honoring Western traditions. But, in spite of everything, January 1 in Egypt is declared the official beginning of the New Year. This day is declared a national holiday and a general holiday.

At the same time, there are folk customs and traditions that originate from ancient times. Thus, September 11 is considered the traditional New Year in this country. This date is tied to the day of the flood of the Nile River after the ascent of the sacred star for the local population, Sirius, which contributed to this.

This is a very important event for the Egyptians, because it is no secret to anyone that no less than 95% of the country’s area is occupied by desert, and therefore, the spill of the main water source was truly a long-awaited period. It was from this holy day that the ancient Egyptians counted off the onset of a new, better stage in their life.

The celebration of the New Year then proceeded as follows: all the vessels in the house were filled with the sacred water of the Nile, met guests, read prayers and venerated their ancestors, glorified the gods. Most of all on this day the almighty god Ra and his daughter, the goddess of love Hathor, are honored. “Night of Ra” on New Year’s Eve marks the victory over the gods of evil and darkness.

In Antiquity, the Egyptians carried out a festive procession, which ended with the installation of a statue of the goddess of love on the very roof of the sacred temple in a pavilion with twelve columns, each of which symbolized one of the 12 months of the year.

Times change, and with them customs and traditions. Now in Egypt, on the New Year on December 31, they set the tables and wait 12 hours with champagne. But still, most Egyptians, especially the older generation, conservatives and villagers, celebrate the main New Year, as before, on September 11. Honoring traditions only commands respect!

Read also: What to cook for the New Year – the best options for meals

How do Russian tourists celebrate the New Year in Egypt?

Egypt is a stunning, warm country with its own traditions, customs and historical sights, ready to host foreigners from all over the world at any time of the year. The most impressive moment of an exciting journey for everyone will be the New Year in Egypt, which can be celebrated here three times.

Although the New Year’s holiday on January 1 in Egypt is not perceived by many locals as the main holiday of the year, it is still celebrated in a big way. Celebrating the New Year here for someone is a tribute to Western fashion, but for someone it is an excellent reason to attract tourists to a warm country.

Our compatriots increasingly prefer to celebrate the New Year in an unconventional way, lying under the sun! That is why the New Year in Egypt for Russians is a great idea to spend their winter holidays interestingly. Moreover, festive decorations and exciting programs are being prepared exclusively for guests. Egypt offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the New Year in a new way, where the traditions of everyone’s favorite winter holiday and the exotic features of the warm East are combined. Nothing can be more tempting than the sun, instead of ice, the sea, instead of snow, heat, instead of cold, palm trees, instead of fir trees and pines.

Local residents are preparing very seriously for the arrival of guests, an atmosphere of miracles reigns everywhere, windows of apartments and houses, shop windows of boutiques are decorated with all kinds of “winter” attributes. It would seem that ordinary warm everyday life turns into an amazingly fun winter-summer vacation. In addition to palm trees at this time, you will surely meet a Christmas tree in Egypt and not a single one.

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The main symbol of the New Year – Grandfather Frost in this country is called “Pope Noel”. It is he who gives souvenirs and gifts to local residents and numerous guests of the country.

Have you vacationed in Egypt? Share with us in the comments!