Why & how to celebrate New Year in Armenia?
If you have already decided to celebrate the New Year in Armenia, it’s great… then get prepared to find yourself in a wonderful environment where you will feel familiarity and willingness to make your holidays perfect.
How the New Year is celebrated in Armenia
In Armenia people value and give importance to the New Year in their own way, treat the New Year with special warmth and thoroughly get prepared to welcome it, adhering to the traditions and customs coming from centuries. For Armenians it turns into a real holiday, including both traditional and modern elements of the celebration. Armenians are also sure that the way we celebrate the New Year so will be the coming year. That is the reason why we say goodbye to the past year and welcome the new one around tables, as full and abundant as possible, with good and beautiful wishes as well. It is an interesting New Year's custom among Armenians to clean the house, while getting rid of old and unsuitable things. We usually like to spend this important holiday in a warm family environment, surrounded by relatives.
New Year's holidays in Armenia last three days: the 31st of December, the 1st and 2nd of January are considered non-working days. But the festive mood, congratulating each other and exchanging good wishes continues until the 13th of January, in other words, the beginning of the New Year, according to the Old Armenian calendar.
During the New Year holidays, the cities and villages of Armenia, and especially Yerevan, are decorated and flooded with lights. Among these decorations the most prominent are the various toys and decorative items that are the symbol of the given year.
The symbol of the coming year is the black rabbit, which should certainly bring fulfillment of wishes and realization of dreams to everyone. On the occasion of the holidays, they also give gifts to each other.
Santa Claus, who is a guest in different families or at various events organized for children, give presents to children. Santa Claus and the Snow White are always present at the various show programs organized near the main Christmas tree in Yerevan, making children happy with their gifts. In the Republic Square, you will enjoy the largest and the most magnificent miracle - Christmas tree of Armenia. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees are also placed in the territories of each administrative district of the capital. They sparkle with lights in the evenings, flooding the capital in an endless ocean of lights. And there is incredible commotion and joy around the Christmas trees. Trade is also in full swing. And here, the show program, organized in the Yerevan Winter Park with its wonderful skating rink and Santa's cabins, will give a real holiday and unforgettable fairy-tale moments especially to your children.
New Year's and winter tours are a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the Armenian winter, welcome the New Year and get to know more closely the exclusive hospitality of the Armenian people and New Year's traditions, also taste the traditional Armenian dishes. Armenian New Year's tables are always full and abundant, in particular, the tables are full of Armenian-flavored dolma, kufta, barbecue and Lake Sevan’s whitefish, Armenian brandy (cognac), grape wines and healthy mineral waters.
New Year's preparations in Armenia start from the beginning of December. The New Year's hustle reigns in almost all cities of Armenia. Here Armenians are always happy to host guests from all over the world.
Lovers of active sports can welcome the New Year and Christmas not only in Yerevan, but in many places of rest in Armenia, combining their preferred rest with festive activities: Jermuk, Tsaghkadzor, Sevan, Dilijan, Lori, Ijevan are places, where you can practice mountain skiing while welcoming the New Year in a warm atmosphere.
Interesting cultural programs are planned for the New Year holidays, especially for children. Holiday performances start from the 20th of December and continue until the 30th of December, then from the 1-13th of January. In those days interesting show programs are organized for children in all theaters, concert halls, cultural centers and most of the heroes of their favorite fairy tales are invited for the children.
Winter rest in Armenia include active rest in famous and important touristic cities of Armenia, visits to cultural centers, theater performances, museums. Months before the New Year holidays, Yerevan Municipality approves the program of events to be held in the city within the framework of the holidays. Having that program as a guide, you can attend the various events, organized in the capital, suitable to your interest.
If you have already made the right decision to spend the New Year in Armenia, you can also choose the unforgettable daily tours throughout Armenia to enjoy our famous attractions: Etchmiadzin, Garni, Geghard, etc. You will be attracted by the pagan temple of Garni, which acquires spectacular interest in winter, emphasizing its solitary majesty.
Seasoning the unforgettable weekend with daily excursions, enjoy the unforgettable and calm Armenian winter, enjoy wonderful moments.
