Given the world's myriad cultures and their associated calendars, the idea of a "New Year" is relative and hardly specifies a universal celebration or even a universal point in time. Specific ways of celebrating the New Year are largely culture-dependent, ranging from the observances of religious rituals and superstitions to social gatherings featuring traditional cuisine, music, dancing, noisemaking, fireworks and drinking.The first encyclopedia devoted exclusively to the New Year, this work includes 320 entries focusing on the New Year from a global perspective, expanding coverage of the New Year beyond its traditional Western associations with Christmas. The bulk of the encyclopedia consists of national or regional entries detailing the principal traditions and customs of 130 countries, while 27 entries discuss major calendar systems that are either currently in use, such as the Gregorian and Chinese calendars, or that are of significant historical interest, such as the Aztec, Mayan, and Roman calendars.
The remaining entries cover a wide variety of subjects relating to the New Year, including: literary works, movies, and television specials; the customs of specific ethnic groups; universal customs such as toasting and drinking; football bowl games and parades; and the New Year celebrations at the White House and the Vatican.