New Year's Day

Malaysians usher the New Year with celebrations that are held in hotels, restaurants, discotheques, nightclubs and of course in individual homes. To the more religious, the New Year is ushered at churches, temples, and shrines where New Year’s Eve services are held. On New Year’s Eve, night revelry is a common sight at Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka Square or Penang’s Gurney Drive, for both the young and the old. As the clock chimes at midnight, jubilant shouts of “Happy New Year” fill the air. The “Auld Lang Syne” is sung sentimentally by many, reminiscing the year gone by. Motorists crowd the streets shouting, yelling and tooting their horns away. The partying and merry-making would usually last till the wee hours of the morning in most major cities and towns. Enterprising businessmen do a roaring trade at this unearthly hour as many merry-makers turn towards supper before the night is through. New Year’s Day itself is a comparatively quiet day for many. While some reminisce the year by counting their blessings and achievements, others resolve to have a better year ahead.