Dear, Readers. 

Happy New Year to you all. I wish you health, wealth, and happiness. 

I hope you will have a successful 2021. 

I certainly enjoyed Christmas and New Year holidays. I had the opportunity to be with family and friends. 

It feels good to be back with another installment of Crazy And Funny Facts You Should Know. 

Since we are still engulfed with the spirit of the new year, I decided to do something related to this world-famous festival. 

Julius Caesar decided that the traditional Roman calendar was in dire need of reform.

In 45 B.C., New Year's Day was celebrated on January 1 for the first time in history as the Julian calendar took effect.

The festival has had a tumultuous history and was banned during the middle ages. The celebrations were considered unChristian. There was too much partying. 

It was restored in 1582. And, the happy times were back. 

But today, I would like to focus on how Thais celebrate the coming of the new year. 

I live in Thailand, and it has a different take when it comes to new year celebrations. 

Songkran is the Thai New Year's national holiday. Songkran is on 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends to 15 April. 

The word "Songkran" means transformation or change.

The holiday is known for its water festival. Major streets are closed to traffic and are used as arenas for water fights. 

Celebrants, young and old, participate in this tradition by splashing water on each other. 

Traditional parades are held and in some venues "Miss Songkran" is crowned where contestants are clothed in traditional Thai dress.

In the Capital (Bangkok) Khao San Road and Silom Road are the hubs for a modern celebration of Songkran. The roads are closed to traffic, and posts equipped with water guns and buckets full of water. The party runs day and night.

You can also be part of this festival in the future. It is very enjoyable. 

I am looking forward to it. During the three days, the entire country celebrates, and you can see happiness everywhere. 

I hope you enjoyed this little first fun fact of 2021. I am looking forward to an even more exciting year. 

Happy New Year. See you soon.