New Year's Day 2013: 10 Bizarre New Year's Celebrations

7. Getting The House In Order - Sri Lanka

Here's one celebration that's yet to actually take place; in Sri Lanka, the so-called New Year is celebrated on April 13th or 14th, going by way of the Hindu calendar. In Sri Lanka, New Year's Eve is spent less chugging yards of alcohol and burning straw-men, and more performing maid duties around the house. It's common for Sri Lankans to put on the marigolds and start scrubbing away to ensure that their home looks its most pearly-white and pristine for the next day. Furthermore, they often decorate the house and fit new lighting fixtures which are often prepared long in advance, as there's something of a superstition in Sri Lanka that to do so before April 13th is not conducive to success. It might not be as invigorating as setting the streets ablaze or pelting your mates' front door, but there's something charming about its nobility and sense of self-improvement.
 
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Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.