Happy Ethiopian New Year

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Tue 11 Sep 2012

Unless you have some friends who are Ethiopian you probably don't know that this nation celebrates its new year's day on September 11th and this time it is the beginning of year 2005.

Ethiopians are not using the Gregorian calendar as most of the world, but they're following the Alexandrian or Coptic calendar. Depending on whether it's a leap year or not, the New Year 's Day falls on September 11th or 12th. The difference comes from the fact that Ethiopians accepted a different date of Jesus Christ's birth.

Moreover, the Ethiopian calendar consists of 13 months. Each of them has 30 days and the last one five or six days, again depending on the leap year. This calendar is used for the internal affairs of Ethiopia and internationally the country follows Gregorian calendar. Nevertheless they celebrate their new year in September, according to the Gregorian calendar.

On that occasion people gather on the main squares in different cities to celebrate the holiday together. The biggest celebration takes place in the capital, Addis Ababa. It's filled with music, fireworks and fun. Traditionally people have been buying new clothes for this occasion, especially for children and cooking food. The most popular food on New Year's Day is doro wet, which is spicy chicken stew eaten with flat bread – injara.



For Ethiopians living in London New Year 's Day is a chance to meet together, chat with friends, eat food and drink special Ethiopian coffee brewed during a coffee ceremony. You can have a taste of what it means to be an Ethiopian that day by going to one of London's Ethiopian restaurants. The ones worthy of recommendation are Mosob and Addis Restaurant .

You can enjoy traditional doro wet or a mix of different stews to try a bit of everything. It can be also a chance to start exploring Ethiopian culture as it differs not only because of the calendar. Most of all have fun and use another chance to celebrate New Year 's Day. So happy new year 2005!

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!date 11/09/2012 -- 11/09/2012
%wnlondon