The term ”festival”, as it is known everywhere, is simply an expression of importance and joy deeply related to a symbol of a certain social, religious, political or national affair. Variant groups of people gather in festivals during a specific day every year in the memorial of a matter that means a lot to all of them. However, some of them might last for more than one day, which makes little children happier to celebrate the event with the different other individuals of adults and aged in an excited atmosphere. It is also familiar that the community which contains several sectors has a distinguished identity of cultural and secular diverse characteristics. This suggests that a country as Morocco is strongly connected to history that it celebrates more than one New Year in the same year. This might be unusual to some, while it is a mark of excellence to others gathering one, two, three and more iconic features from numerous times in the same place.

Three New Years in the Same One-Year and Country!

What are the Three New Years in Morocco?

Annually, all Moroccans celebrate three of the main dates in the country: The New Year’s Eve, The New Year’s Day, ”higgrea”, and Amazigh Year. Let’s identify each one of them separately and talk about their aspects.

1- The New Year’s Event:

New Year’s Event is mostly the first expected night for everyone during each year, not only through Morocco, it is rather the most outstanding event gladly celebrated everywhere all over the world. In a day like this, each Christian individual, child, parent, family and close group of friends enthusiastically celebrate the memorial of the special birth of Jesus Christ.

Preparations are perfectly made to enjoy the festive event. However, the Christian Moroccans as their fellows of other Christians and whether they are Westerns or Easterns believe that a new era of grace and peace was launched the day Jesus Christ was born, so that it was indicated as The New Year where they dated the Solar Year and Calendar to be first used. It is regarded that the first of January is the first day in the Christian Calendar where all people welcome its’ arrival through different glamourous aspects.

New Year Celebrations Morocco

How do Moroccans Celebrate the New Year’s Eve?

Cities of Morocco became much more elegant in The New Year’s Eve and Christmas where the major Casablanca, Marrakesh, Agadir, Rabat, Tanja and the coastal line of the Atlantic Ocean turns charming. What is that unbelievable unique spell of beauty?

Most of the Moroccan young people like to spend the New Year’s Eve in interesting modes, so that they prefer to attend one of the huge festivals in Rabat, Meknes, Marrakesh, or Casablanca where music concerts are held gathering the most national and international music and song figures. Various people from different places around the world visit Morocco in New Year’s Eve to meet their celebrities in one of the festivals’ organized systems. They are breathtaking moments filled with joy, enchantment and kindness where fireworks, lightening ropes and carnations are spread everywhere, in the streets, houses, public places, gardens and hotels as that they welcome the new beginning of chances. Despite the misfortunes of life, people in Morocco like to enjoy the arrival of the New Year praying to God in this special to fulfill every human’s wishes of good health and fortune.

Most Moroccans from popular alleys and those of outstanding conditions make delicious plates of dessert made with pure love for everyone. They try to spend this important eve in a pleasing atmosphere of kindness.

During December, most of the trade markets in Morocco make special offers of sold where all clothes, shoes, goods, and different electronical equipment are presented with convenient prices. They think, however, that an attractive period like this worth people’s happiness and satisfaction.

Many prior plans are made before the special New Year’s Eve that families and friends decide to enjoy it in all what they can offer, and in a way to peacefully say farewell to the ending past year welcoming the second new year lovingly.

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2- The Day of the New Year (Higgrea):

The Higgrea New Year’s Day is considered one of the most important religious celebration in the Islamic world. It is a valuable day that holds significant meanings and thus all Muslims from the East of the Earth to its’ West celebrate this day.

What is the Significance of the Higgrea New Year’s Day?

According to the Eastern Higgrea Calendar, all Muslim countries, including Morocco takes the first day in (Muharram) month as the beginning of the New Year. It dates back to the migration of Muhammed, the prophet from Mecca to al Madina- Al Munawara as a result to Kuraish’s bad actions in Mecca. So that, people of al Madina celebrated the prophet’s visit to them as they were honored by him. However, Omar Ibn al- Khattab, the successor leader of Islam decided the first of Muharram as the first day in the New Year in order to determine a specific date for the State’s official affairs.

happy Islamic New Year

in Arabic words

Nowadays, most of the Islamic countries as Morocco and Saudi Arabia use the Higgrea lunar.Furthermore, the names of the Higgrea months differ from the Solar ones, such as Muharram is relevant to January in the Gregorian Calendar.

The first of Muharram is a mere celebration of such religious and familial warm atmosphere where all Muslims rejoice the incident. The modes are intimate where Muslims in Morocco greet each other wishing all the best for their families and relatives. The traditions at this period of the year are marvelous that Muslims do dawn’s prayers in the mosque where secular atmosphere is dominated inside the house of God (Allah). After that, speeches about the prophet Muhammed are told to the people indicating his most influential sayings and actions. However, it is rather a religious event than a festive entertaining celebration. It is also a tradition that brings so much love among people and it is thus the most favored celebration to all Muslim people wherever they live.

3- Amazigh New Year:

Never wonder that Morocco celebrates three New Years during the same year and the last one of them is the Amazigh New Year. It is celebrated by all Amazigh people in the Arabian countries of Morocco emphasizing their deeply- historic identity. It was decided to get the people’s attention to more than 3000 years of history, glory, and influence. The New Year of Amazight was decided as a remembrance to the memorable achievements done by the Amazigh’s grandfathers of Phoenicians. A day like this should not be forgotten because of its’ importance to humanity as whole.

Moroccan people, especially the Amazigh celebrate and enjoy this day. However, atmospheres are relaxing and breathtaking that every event takes place in the middle of nature. They do that as an indication of respect to nature, the human’s first mother. They cook special meals for the day as the seven- flavored couscous, Takla or Aseeda, which is made of cereals. They tend to cook healthy plates as they prevent from eating meat trying to go back to nature. The family members gather with children and friends to eat the healthy meal. In addition, Moroccan families buy new equipment for their houses in the first day of Amazigh Year as a try to dismiss every old aspect of their lives. It is kind of a welcoming practice that is done by all from the Atlantic to the East.

Another tradition is that Amazigh go in the heart of nature searching for new natural remedies of herbs. They believe that they are healthy enough to heal every physical trouble.

amazigh new year celebration

The sources of cultural diversity are numerous in Morocco that each aspect, festival, ceremony is deeply rooted in authentic past. All components of Moroccan society are harmonically gathered in the land of Morocco to tell valuable stories to each new visitor.