On February 10, guests can enjoy a lively dance performance featuring a dragon, lion, amusing monk, and God of Fortune. This centuries-old tradition symbolizes good luck and prosperity, filling the Grand Lobby with vibrant energy and setting a positive tone for the year ahead.

Fast forward to ancient Rome, where the calendar underwent numerous changes. The Romans initially celebrated the New Year in March, aligning it with the spring equinox. However, in 45 B.C., Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar, moving the start of the year to January 1st. This change was in homage to Janus, the two-faced god who symbolized transitions and new beginnings.

The adoption of January 1st as the New Year's Day was not universally accepted at first. Various cultures adhered to different calendars, resulting in diverse New Year celebrations occurring at various times. It wasn't until the Middle Ages that the Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, gained widespread acceptance. This calendar solidified January 1st as the official start of the year, aligning with the Roman tradition.

Throughout history, New Year's Eve has taken on different forms and meanings across cultures. In medieval Europe, the celebration evolved into a religious observance known as Watch Night. Christians would gather in churches to pray and reflect, marking the transition from the old year to the new with a sense of spiritual renewal.

The custom of making resolutions became more prevalent during the 17th century. Puritans in colonial America embraced the idea of setting goals for self-improvement and moral development. Over time, this practice became ingrained in the fabric of New Year's Eve, transcending religious boundaries and becoming a secular tradition embraced by people of all backgrounds.

Fireworks, a ubiquitous feature of modern New Year's Eve celebrations, have their roots in ancient Chinese civilization. The Chinese believed that loud noises and bright lights could ward off evil spirits. This tradition eventually spread to other cultures and found its way into the festive atmosphere of New Year's Eve.

The iconic ball drop in Times Square, New York City, has become synonymous with the American New Year's Eve experience. The tradition began in 1907 when the New York Times organized the first ball drop to mark the opening of their new headquarters in Times Square. The event was an instant success, drawing crowds and setting the stage for a century of annual celebrations.

As the 20th century unfolded, technology played a significant role in shaping New Year's Eve celebrations. The invention of radio and television allowed people around the world to witness and participate in the festivities in real-time. The advent of the internet further expanded the global reach of these celebrations, connecting people across continents in a shared moment of joy and anticipation.

Today, New Year's Eve is a truly global phenomenon, celebrated with diverse traditions and customs. From the ringing of church bells in Spain to the banging of pots and pans in South America, the world comes together in a collective expression of hope and optimism for the future.

From tradition to history to spirituality, the history of New Year's Eve is a tapestry woven with threads of ancient traditions, cultural shifts, and technological advancements. From the Babylonians to the present day, the celebration of the new year has evolved and adapted, reflecting the human desire for renewal and the hope that comes with the turning of the calendar. As the clock strikes midnight on January 1st, let us continue to embrace the timeless tradition of New Year's Eve, a celebration that transcends borders and unites us all in the shared journey of life.

Not compromising the design, this handset will surely exceed expectations. This will be a bang for your buck with its stunning premium curved OLED inherited from the flagship series.

The new phone will be officially launched on January 19, 2023. For more information and announcements, you may visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorphilippines/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines).

In the meantime, you can checkout HONOR’s wide array of mobile phones, tablets, and smartwatches at any HONOR kiosks and partner stores nationwide or online at Shopee (https://bit.ly/HONORPHShopee), Lazada (https://bit.ly/HONORPHLaz) and TikTok Shop (https://bit.ly/HONORTikTokShop).

Let’s all welcome 2023 with the loudest cheers and biggest prizes as we celebrate with NET25’s Let’s NET together 2023 Countdown Special live at the Philippine Arena! NET25 stars, celebrities, and bands will entertain New Year's revelers to say goodbye to 2022 and welcome the new year with a blast!

Joining the celebration are TITO, VIC AND JOEY, AGA MUHLACH, ERIC, EPY AND VANDOLPH QUIZON, ARA MINA, LOVE AÑOVER, EMPOY MARQUEZ, ACE BANZUELO, PRICETAGG, GLOC-9, Nobita, Alexa Miro, Jay-R, G22, Mayonnaise, Emma Tiglao, Billie Hakenson, Isabelle De Los Santos, Daiana Menezes, Rikki Mathay, Bearwin Meily, Wej Cudiamat, Tonipet Gaba, CJ Hirro and Jumanji Band and many more!

●Lucky Plants. Attract good luck all year round with lucky plants in your home! This Chinese New Year-themed green market in select SM malls features floras that are considered lucky like the lucky bamboo, money tree, Jade plant, mandarin orange tree, orchid, bamboo, and bonsai.

●Lucky Finds on SM Deals. Check out CNY exclusive offers from SM Supermalls’ tenant partners and affiliates from Buy 1 Get 1 deals and 50% discounts.

●Lucky22 vouchers. If you opt to stay at home during these festivities, don’t worry about missing out on these exciting deals because SM Supermalls has got you covered. SM Malls Online will be having Lucky22 vouchers– a special voucher offering a 22% discount on food and non-food items for stay-at-home shoppers like you!

●Lucky in Red Pick-up at Curbside Promo. When you pick up your order at SM via SM Customer Care Hotline, SM will be giving away Php 200 worth of SM GCs on February 1 for those decked in red! So wear something red or drive by to pick up the items you’ve ordered in your flashy red car! This promo is for the first 22 customers only, so be sure to get there as early as you can.

Enjoy all these and more when you celebrate your #LuckyDaysAtSM this Chinese New Year! So, increase your luck and safely celebrate with SM Supermalls as it welcomes the Year of the Tiger with wishes of prosperity, health, abundance, and continuous good fortune!

For #SafeMallingAtSM, you can follow @smsupermalls on all social media platforms.

God bless everyone and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!  

The Juan Time Pre-New Year Countdown was initiated by Pizza Hut with the partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Discovery Channel.  The synchronization was led by Pizza Hut's Brand Ambassadress' Shamcey Supsup and Venus Raj viewing the Philippine Standard Time on a giant timepiece of Timex.   After the synchronization, the much awaited countdown for the fireworks commenced and everyone enjoyed the fireworks display.

The JUAN TIME encourages everyone to set their timepieces to Philippine Standard Time you can visit www.pizzahut.com.ph or the DOST site www.dost.gov.ph.   Let's all set our time JUAN TIME!

Read more about Pizza Hut's Juan Time

To unite the 7,100 islands in one time.


This was the main objective of the recent pre-New Year countdown at the Araneta Center launched by Pizza Hut with beauty queens Venus Raj and Shamcey Supsup.

A day before the fireworks erupted in the metro to usher in 2012, Pizza Hut, together with partners Discovery Channel and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) emphasized the need for Juan Time, the new and more productive concept of Filipino time that espouses punctuality. The campaign aims to synchronize all timepieces in the country’s more than 7,000 islands to Philippine Standard Time. DOST’s “Juan Time” (a word play on one time and Juan), shows that keeping to the Philippine Standard Time prevents the difficulties of having unsynchronized and confusing time.


 Established decades ago, Philippine Standard Time is set by DOST’s Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the country’s official timekeeper since 1978.

“Juan Time” is an advocacy that is very much in line with Pizza Hut’s own “Hate Late” campaign that focuses on being on time, all the time. This is the reason why Pizza Hut deliveries are always on hot on the dot, reaching a near perfect 99.8% of on time deliveries. With this, Pizza Hut has helped reverse the previous negative connotation of Filipino Time and has upgraded this to “Juan Time” which is synonymous with punctuality and productivity.


Even international beauty queens appreciate the value of being on time in their lives.

Venus Raj says, “Pizza Hut is Philippine Standard Time or Juan Time. Dapat iisa lang ang reference natin ng oras para lagi tayong on time. If we all have the same time, there is a better chance for us to be punctual in our commitments.” Shamcey Supsup on the other hand enthuses, “Time is a resource that is very important but oftentimes overlooked. In order to reach our personal and professional goals in the coming year, we have to be more conscious of our time and to use it productively. One minute wasted is one minute gone forever.”


The “Juan Time” advocacy in Pizza Hut is not a one-day affair. On the contrary, this is targeted at being a continuing campaign among Filipino people to be always on time.

The pre-New Year countdown and synchronization of timepieces took the mold of a New Year’s party with simultaneous performances of chorales, marching bands, drum beaters and dancing delivery rider performances. The festivities started with the Magical Parade of Lights that circled the Araneta Center. After this, Venus and Shamcey led the countdown to setting everyone’s watches in sync with Philippine Standard Time. This was followed by much fanfare, dancing and a spectacular fireworks display.

Pizza Hut’s Marketing Manager Raymund Nobleza says, “we hope that Juan Time encourages all Filipinos to junk the habit of being late and making excuses for this. As we embark on a brand new year, we wish champion this mindset of being on time so that we all have a better chance of reaching our goals in the coming year.” Nobleza also assures Pizza Hut customers, “you can be sure that Juan Time is Pizza Hut Time and that we will always be hot on the dot.”

Pizza Hut is home to the country’s Pinaka-Pizza, serving awesome food with fast and friendly service. For more awesome dishes, check out Pizza Hut’s website at www.pizzahut.com.ph , dial 911-1111 for deliveries in Metro Manila or be a fan of Pizza Hut on Facebook.