Like different nations in the world, Armenians also wait for the New Year celebration with impatience. New Year in Armenia is considered to be a family celebration with unique traditions and customs.
The celebration starts late at night on December 31 but according to the traditions, Armenians had three New Year holidays in the past: Amanor (March 21), Navasard (August 11) and the New Year on January 1.
Navasard
Navasard has had a unique way of celebration and played a special role in Armenian culture in ancient times. The word Navasard is composed of “nav” meaning new and “sard” meaning year in Armenian. It was celebrated from August 11 to September 9. The aim of Navasard was to worship and please Armenian main pagan gods. During the festivals, Armenians sang songs, performed dances with a festive mood. According to the legend, on this day pagan Gods came down to the Earth, swam in the Aratsani and then watched the celebration from the mountains. But when Armenians adopted Gregorian calendar, the official start of the year was recognized January 1.
The celebration of Navasard
From ancient times till now, New Year has been a special celebration for Armenians.
But why the New Year’s celebration is so special for them? First of all, it is a traditional symbol of new revelations. Armenians believe that the new year will give them new opportunities to start everything from a new point. Besides this, Armenians think that the New Year celebration is a great way to spend time with family, relatives and friends.
