In many countries, tattoos are in fashion （时尚）. On TV you can often see a famous actor or musician with a tattoo on his arm or foot. Many sports players have them, too. In the US, tattoos are very popular. Forty percent of Americans aged between 26 and 40 have a tattoo, and 60 percent of customers in US tattoo parlors are women. These people are often professional people like doctor, teachers and lawyers.

However, tattoos are not modern. In fact, they are very old in human history. For example, archaeologists* found a human in ice from 5,000 years ago. He had 57 tattoos on his back, ankles, legs, knees and feet. Tattoos were used for many different reasons. In ancient Egypt, people got tattoos because they were “beautiful”. But in ancient Rome, tattoos were negative and put on criminals* and prisoners. In India, tattoos were religious *.

In the 16^th and 17^th century, European sailors arrived on the islands of Polynesia. They saw tattoos for the first time. The people on the islands had tattoos on their shoulders, chests, backs and legs. Often the tattoos were of animals or natural features like a river or a mountain. The European sailors liked them and made their own tattoos, so the idea traveled to Europe. Tattoos in Polynesia are still important today. They show information about a person’s history, their island or their job.

So is there a connection between traditional tattoos and fashionable tattoos? And can you call tattoos a fashion? Chris Rainier is an expert in tattoos and his book Ancient Marks has photos of tattoos from all over the world. He thinks people in modern societies often have tattoos because they are a connection to the traditional world. But tattoos aren’t a fashion like clothes or a haircut because you can’t put them on and take them off again like a jacket or a hat. They are permanent* and for life.

Different countries have different New Year’s Day traditions.

In Japan, people send postcards to friends and family. They also fly kites, play games, and read poems. Some traditions are like those of Chinese New Year’s Day. For example, they banggongs (敲锣) to drive away bad luck and give money to children on January 1.

In Scotland, people bring gifts to neighbors just after midnight. In Denmark, people break old plates to attract new friends. Dutch people like doughnuts (甜甜圈) because their ring shape is a symbol of a complete year. In Spanish-speaking countries, people wear red underwear on the New Year’s Day. They believe it will bring good luck. In Spain and Mexico, people eat 12 grapes to get 12 lucky months.

It’s common to give a loved one a kiss at midnight on New Year’s Day around the world. People from many countries also make resolutions, believing that the New Year is a good time to leave bad habits behind. Common resolutions include eating healthy food, exercising, or giving up smoking.

Hold a party, watch some fireworks, eat a special kind of food, or make a resolution. No matter where you are, there are plenty of great ways to welcome the New Year.