New Year in Armenia

Armenians celebrate New Year on the 1st of January, then Christmas on 6th of January. Join this miraculous voyage to explore marvelous Armenian New Year and Christmas celebration traditions.

The preparation for the New Year celebration usually starts at mid-November in Armenia. Families get together to discuss what they are going to cook for the wealthy New Year celebration table.

Everything is discussed in micro details. The table should be filled with all kinds of delicious food to please the guests of any taste.

The New Year starts at midnight of the 31st of December. Members of the families congratulate each other and then starts another Armenian tradition.

After celebrating and wishing happy New Year to each other Armenians start to visit their neighbors, relatives and friends. Yes! Starting from midnight. They start with the most honorable once (their parents or godfather and godmother) and then following week they go on visiting their relatives and friends.

This tradition comes from the depth of centuries, then at the New Year night teenagers went from door to door with a candle in their arms bringing light to every family and collecting fruits and nuts.

When the western world receives presents from Santa on 25 December, Armenian Dzmer Pap (that is Winter Grandfather) brings presents on the night of 31 December (to 1 January).

Though in the 4th century Catholics replaced the date from the 6th of January to 25th of December to get ride off a pagan feast dedicated to the Sun, Armenians never were defected from this change and continued celebrating the birth of Christ on the 6th of January.

People bring Christmas fire from churches to their homes, believing it will bless their families and bring success.