New Year’s Day has a long history of traditions and celebrations worldwide. It is the day of closure of the prior year and the ringing in of the upcoming year. The earliest recorded New Year’s Day observances began over 4,000 years ago, although they were not always observed on the first of January. In about 2,000 BC, New Year’s Day was first observed in late March during the spring equinox in Ancient Mesopotamia. It was called Akitu, which marked the rebirth of nature and renewed agriculture. Akitu festivals lasted 12 days in honor of the gods through parades, feasts, and reenactments of mythological stories.
Fast-forward to 46 BC (well,
maybe not so fast) when Julius Caesar created the Julian calendar. In this
calendar, the year was more in sync with the solar year, making January 1 the
first day of the new year to honor Janus, the Roman god of beginnings,
transitions, and doorways. It was believed Janus was a deity with two faces who
could see the past and the future, was the master of time, and was an
intermediary between life and death. Romans celebrated with sacrifices to
Janus, exchanging gifts, and feasts.
During the Middle Ages, Christianity
spread through Medieval Europe, and the church opposed many pagan practices, so
the church changed the traditions to Christian celebrations. For a long time,
New Year’s Day was celebrated on March 25 and was repurposed as the Day of
Annunciation, the day Angel Gabriel told Mary she would have the Son of God. Some
regions of Europe celebrated New Year’s on Christmas Day or Easter, so the
holiday was observed on significant Christian events.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII
adopted the Gregorian calendar, reinstating January 1 as New Year’s Day. Catholic
nations widely accepted this change, but Protestant and Orthodox nations did
not, resulting in New Year’s Day being observed on various days for centuries.
A Time of Reflections and
Resolutions
New Year’s Day is a time of
reflection, renewal, and hope for many. Momentous events have occurred
throughout 2024, some of which may have brought hurt, pain, sadness, joy,
enlightenment, stress, laughter, or other emotions. There are “Year in Reviews”
of noteworthy events that occurred over television stations and other media
outlets worldwide. Reflection is also done on a personal level. I like to review
what happened during the year and remember how I felt then and whether it was a
good or unpleasant experience. While reflecting, I feel renewed, knowing I made
it through the difficult and fun times and am here for another day. I ask myself
how I can improve this year for myself, my loved ones, family, friends, acquaintances,
or strangers. What can I do to be a positive light in the world in which I live?
It is also when people set goals for
themselves or declare resolutions they intend to achieve. They may be goals of
health and fitness, attitude changes, different outlooks on love, finances, or
anything you want it to be. I have goals set for all areas of my life. We all
wear different hats and have many roles, all essential aspects of our being. I
find it uplifting to set goals and see how I move to achieve those goals throughout
the year. Even if I do not fully accomplish a goal, it's okay.
Celebrations and Traditions
New Year's is celebrated in many
ways around the world. People may bring the new year home with an intimate
gathering of family and close friends. I have enjoyed this in past years,
staying home watching the New Year's Eve events on television, hoping to stay
awake for the countdown to midnight.
The Times Square Ball Drop in New
York has been a tradition since 1907. While the orb sliding down a pole has changed
with technological development, it is still one of the world's most significant
New Year’s Eve events. Entertainers perform throughout the evening leading up
to the countdown; then, as the ball drops, everyone counts down until the clock
strikes midnight. Fireworks blast into the sky, and everyone sings the traditional
New Year’s song, “Auld Lang Synge”! I have never been in person, but I would
love to experience the celebration there one year.
There are also New Year’s Eve
parties everywhere. Some restaurants offer late-night dinners, including champagne
and party favors. Nightclubs offer party packages that include hors d'oeuvres,
DJs, and more. Hotels have parties in their ballrooms, and you can purchase
packages that include dinner and an overnight stay. You can also do dinner
cruises on riverboats. Parades are also popular around the world.
There are traditions and superstitions surrounding the holiday. Some include eating certain foods or performing rituals for good luck, prosperity, and peace in the new year. For example, eating black-eyed peas as part of the New Year's meal is thought to bring good luck. Some cultures eat twelve grapes at midnight, believing that eating one grape per chime will bring twelve months of good luck. Cultures have unique ways of marking the transition to a new year. Every tradition carries a special meaning, from fireworks displays in Australia to lantern lighting in Thailand. Plate smashing is a tradition in Denmark. Instead of throwing away unused dishes and plates, Danes save them until the end of the year when they affectionately shatter them against the doors of all their friends and family members. This symbolizes leaving the past year and entering the new. It is a joyful and loving ritual of good luck and hope. The more broken plates in front of your doorway, the more luck and joy you will have in the new year.
This year, we will attend a
community New Year’s party in my neighborhood. It’s a pleasant way to connect
with friends and meet new neighbors. On New Year’s Day, we plan to prepare our
meal of roasted Cornish hens, black-eyed peas with smoked ham hocks, Au Gratin
potatoes, and cornbread, ending with apple pie and vanilla cake with chocolate
icing. Hopefully, everything will be delicious, but the best part will be
making more memories with my family.
Happy New Year to all! May you
have a year filled with love, hope, prosperity, and well-being!
I would love to hear your favorite
New Year’s traditions in the comments.
