Article By: Nathan W. Hoff
Published January 2025
For as long as I can remember there have been New Year fireworks to celebrate the arrival of a new year and good-bye to an old year.
According to multiple stories the first firework celebration was in ancient China over 2,000 years-ago. Through-out the years almost every country in the world has embraced using fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
In ancient Asia fireworks were used to expel evil spirits. Believing that any bad luck from the previous year would be sent away during this celebration. With the loud noises from the fireworks the negative energies and spirits would be scared away. This would assure a fresh beginning, clearing away old negative energies to allow a fresh start for the new year.
Through the bright exciting flares of lights and explosions fireworks have been used to bring people together. This gathering allowed groups of people to share in the hope of new and better things in the coming year.
Living in Brazil, I have learned that many Brazilians wait the whole year to gather at the beaches on New Year. As new year falls in the summer season and allows for families to come together for a time of celebration. There are miles of beaches stretching north and south along Brazil’s enormous coast – every new year fireworks are a common site. The people dress in white as a symbol of a fresh start.
As Christians we do not need the loud explosions and lights from fireworks to scare away evil spirts and old year curses. We have the assures that Christ has provided us a helper – this helper the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) is with us 365-days-a-year and 24-hours-a-day. (John 14:16)
Nor do we need to change our clothing to white to represent a new beginning as the Bible assures us that we are made new in Christ. (2 Cor 5:17; Rev 3:5)
The excitement that can be derived from fireworks does not compare to the exernal hope that we have in Christ Jesus. (1 John 2:25; Titus 1:2)
This new year as we celebrate with fireworks and family traditions let us remember that it is not the new year promises or resolutions that we make (and often break) that should give us hope of a successful year ahead. Instead it is the promises that God has provided us through Jesus Christ that should drive us to live each new year in celebration brighter and louder than any firework celebration!