We at Ear Plug Superstore want to wish you a very merry Christmas day!
By now, the presents have been opened and the Christmas season is coming to a close. But even if you're already packing up the stockings and mistletoe, we all still have one great holiday ahead this winter -- New Year's -- and it's right around the corner!
That's right folks, it's almost 2012 already. My, how time flies! And one of the very best things about the new year is celebrating its beginning. Whatever the coming year may bring, New Year's Eve (and New Year's Day) are all about kicking off the fresh new year with bright wishes and good cheer.
Of course, New Year's is celebrated differently all around the world:
- In Scotland (where "Auld Lang Syne" originated) the traditional celebration is called Hogmanay, in which neighbors go out shortly after midnight to visit each other with well-wishes for the new year; in the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebration, the event is observed as an all-night street party!
- In Japan, Bonenkai, or "forget-the-year parties" are held to scrub away the problems of the previous year in preparation for the new one, and Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times to represent expelling the 108 forms of human weakness.
- In the Netherlands, the Dutch have Christmas tree bonfires and enjoy fireworks.
- In Denmark, participants traditionally throw dishes at the front doors of friends' homes -- the more broken dishes on your doorstep on New Year's Day, the more friends you know you have!
Still, the most common traditions, like fireworks and New Year's Resolutions, seem to occur in cultures all across the globe. And many of our familiar American New Year's traditions -- parties, fireworks, singing, and gathering with friends and family -- are popular world-wide. In England, for example, people gather around Big Ben to hear the clock tower chime midnight, much as folks here in the U.S.A. gather in New York City to see the ball drop.
Of course, Big Ben is notably more noisy, ringing in at 118dB -- that's about as loud as a jet plane taking off, and is enough sound to vibrate your body from head to toes if you're standing in the belfry!
What do all these New Year's traditions have in common?
They involve making a lot of NOISE!
With this in mind, we at Ear Plug Superstore want to make sure your new year starts safely, no matter what kind of noisy events you plan to enjoy. So here's our New Year's Celebration Hearing Protection Breakdown:
Clubs & Concerts
Live music can be moving, powerful, or just plain fun -- but enjoying loud music with naked ears isn't a good idea. Rock concerts average an output of about 120dB of sound, and even a nightclub with a DJ can top 110dB. Bring some Musician's Natural Sound Earplugs on New Year's Eve to enjoy the music without distortion, and skip the ringing ears on New Year's Day. If you're bringing the kids, invest in some Earmuffs for Children; even a sophisticated symphony orchestra can be dangerously dynamic.
Fireworks
From 3 feet away, fireworks provide around an ear-shattering 163dB! But even from a much safer distance, those loud booms and pops can be distressing to the little ones. Make sure to equip your kids with Earmuffs for Babies and Children -- they'll keep their hearing safe so the family can enjoy the fireworks together. And don't forget the dog! Mutt Muffs Earmuffs for Dogs can bring some much-needed safety and calm to the family's best friend during New Year's Eve fireworks and other loud events.
Football Games
New Year's Day football is a much-loved American tradition -- but it's also a loud one, with cheering crowds reaching 117dB of sound! If you happen to be in the stadium this New Year's, bring a trusty pair of foam earplugs along, or pack your favorite reusable earplugs -- for example, Hearos Skull Screws, tough enough hearing protection for even the most macho of fans. For a more tech-savvy solution, pick up some isolation earphones with hearing protection to listen to the radio during the game, even when the crowd goes wild.
Parades
An outdoor marching band can trumpet out up to 100dB of sound, and paired with a crowd, parades can drum up a LOT of noise -- so don't forget your hearing protection if you attend a New Year's Day parade! A pair of Natural Sound Musician's Earplugs are an excellent choice for parades, as they'll block out dangerous sound levels while allowing you to hear music and voices clearly. And don't forget to protect the kids with Earmuffs for Children; they'll comfortably fit even small infants, so their ears remain blissfully safe as the floats go by.
Again, we hope you've had a great Christmas, and have a Happy New Year!
This year, resolve to protect your own hearing, and the hearing of your little ones -- it's an easy resolution to keep, and there's no better time than the start of the new year to start protecting the little ears in your life.
Until next time, be safe, and Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman
& the EPSS Newsletter Staff
Ear Plug Superstore
earplugstore.com