It was a repeat of Christmas Eve, even to the assurance that it would be much quieter. The bars and restaurants just had a few people out to eat and drink. Small explosions continued intermittently during the day and evening.
The last Mass of the year started at 11.15pm in the local Church. At exactly midnight hundreds of bangers and fireworks rocked the town in a massive cacophony of sound which went on till nearly 3.00 am
The traditions are a the same as the big Sinhalese New Year celebrations in April.
At midnight housewives light the hearth and, in a new clay pot, heat milk until it boils over symbolizing prosperity. Then kiri bath (milk rice) is made from the milk and eaten with luna miris.
In the morning frankincense is heated in a little pan of charcoal, when smoking it is taken into every room of the house and around the outside the bless the home.
Honouring age-old traditions, new beginnings are marked by lighting the symbolic rooster-shaped brass lamp. The oil lamp is lit to represent prosperity at the dawn of the New Year. The flickering brightness that emanates from an oil lamp symbolises wisdom, hope and new beginnings.
Just a few bangers are still going off, the municipal lights were turned off at the weekend and gradually all the Christmas decorations are disappearing, and life is returning to whatever ‘normal’ will be in 2021
Janet's Journal 
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