Enkutatash, which means “Gift of Jewels”, is the celebration of the Ethiopian New Year. Ethiopia follows the Julian calendar, which consists of 13 months (twelve months each with 30 days and a final month with 5 or 6 days, depending on leap year.) The Julian calendar is 7 years and 8 months behind the Gregorian calendar, which is used throughout most of the Western world. Enkutatash happens to come near the end of a long rainy season, coloring the green landscapes with bright yellow flowers and giving great reason to celebrate the new harvest. Torches of dry wood are burned in front of houses on New Year’s Eve.