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There are a lot of beliefs and customs worldwide surrounding New Year’s Day. In some cultures, eating round foods such as doughnuts is considered good luck (a tradition we can completely get on board with!), while here in the United States, black-eyed peas, ham, and greens or cabbage are the preferred lucky fare. Many countries in Europe call the holiday “Silvester,” in honor of Pope Sylvester I who died on December 31st, 335 A.D. The tradition of firecrackers and noisemakers, seen the world over, was started in order to scare away evil spirits and ensure good luck for the new year. The celebration of New Year’s Day dates back about 4000 years, and the very first celebration wasn’t actually in January (and still isn’t, in some cultures!) — it was in March.

No matter what you believe or how you celebrate, though, one thing is true: there’s no better way to ring in a new year than spending quality time with people you love. And even if your little ones aren’t old enough to stay awake until midnight when the date officially changes over, you can make them feel like part of the festivities by snuggling up and reading one of these New Year’s books for kids. Who knows — maybe these books will become a part of your family’s yearly tradition, right along with the black eyed peas and doughnuts!

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