Welcome to easy stories in English, the podcast that will take your English from ok to good and from good to great.
I am Ariel Goodbody, your host for this show.
Today's story is for intermediate learners.
The name of the story is a lucky new year.
You can find a transcript of the episode@easystoriesinenglish.com year that's easystoriesinenglish.com year y e a r there.
You can also download the episode as a PDF.
If you listened to my announcement last week, then you will know that I intended to release this episode on New Year's.
Of course, because the story is about New Year's, it is a bit less relevant now, but hopefully it will still be enjoyable.
The New Year's episode from 2020 New Year New me is one of the most popular episodes of the podcast, so I would be lying if I said I didn't want to try and and repeat that success the day before the new year.
The 31 December is called New Year's Eve, and this is typically when people celebrate around the world.
Although last year I celebrated in quite a relaxed way, we just went to a friend's house and watched some films.
There are many New Year's traditions around the world, which you'll find out about in this story, but a tradition that I think is practiced in many places is making New Year's resolutions.
New Year's resolutions are when you say, this year I'm going to do something different, going to the gym, quitting smoking or drinking, or going on a diet are common.
New Year's resolutions.
Resolutions are, in theory a great idea, except it seems like they don't actually work.
For most people, it's especially hard to quit drinking the day after you've just had a really big party after all.
And I've heard lots of gym goers complain that the gym is always really full of resolution makers in January, but that by March most of them have given up.
However, today's story isn't just about traditions and resolutions, but also superstitions.
S u p e r s t I t I o n superstitions are beliefs that are not based in reality, but are very popular in all cultures.
For example, in the UK we have a superstition that you shouldn't step on a crack in the road.