Pop Quiz: Test Your New Year's Knowledge

When it comes to tradition and ceremony, Christmas rules the roost: Between cookies and candies, trees and yule logs, it sometimes seems like every part of the holiday season is rife with symbolism and history. New Year's, by comparison, is subtler and a little more tinged with melancholy -- a celebration that welcomes the future yet looks back thoughtfully on the past.

Next week, as millions of people around the world watch fireworks, drink champagne and toast the arrival of 2013, it's worth taking a moment to think about the hodgepodge of songs, drinks and delicacies that have grown up around this holiday. If you've ever wondered how New Year's developed -- or why we sing an 18th century Scottish ballad on the last day of December, take a peek at our New Year's quiz!

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Bruce Watson is a senior features writer for DailyFinance. You can reach him by e-mail at bruce.watson@teamaol.com, or follow him on Twitter at @bruce1971.