New Year's Day in Tonga is a highly celebrated public holiday. Falling on the 1st of January each year, it marks the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. Traditionally, Tongans join with their community leaders and village chiefs to mark the end of the old year and welcome in the new year with parties, feasts, singing and dancing. It is a day to celebrate a fresh start, new hopes, and dreams.
The Tongans celebrate New Year's Day with various customs and traditions. One of them is 'fakapale', which is a tradition of giving gifts to the chief or head of the family during the family feast. During this feast, traditional food like suckling pig, a wide variety of seafood, tapioca, sweet potatoes and fresh tropical fruits are served. This feast is a representation of the abundance and prosperity that they hope for the new year.
Churches also play a significant role in New Year's Day observance in Tonga. The country is deeply religious, with the majority of the population being Christian. Services are held to give thanks for the accomplishments of the past year and to pray for blessings and good fortune in the upcoming year. Singing hymns and choirs are very much a part of these church services. The ringing of church bells at midnight is a commonly observed tradition, symbolizing the start of the new year.