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An Irresolute New Year’s Day
Yes, it’s that time of the year again: when we dust off the
resolutions we made last year and pledge, with all sincerity, to try do
better this year. New Year’s Day also has an irresolute history. It has
wandered around the year from the time of the Babylonians, 2000BC, who
celebrated it in mid- March at the time of the vernal (spring) equinox; the
Egyptians,
Phoenicians and Persians preferred the autumn equinox and
the Greeks the winter solstice.
The early Roman calendar designated March 1st – at that time
the calendar only had ten months beginning with March. In 153BC they moved
it to January 1st for political reasons because it was the beginning of the
civil year, the month that the two newly elected Roman Consuls began their
one-year tenure. Even then the date wasn’t strictly or widely observed and
it hopped back to March 1st.
Julius Caesar in 46BC introduced a solar-based calendar and
January 1st, again, became favourite. However, that was not the end of it!
In 567AD the Council of Tours abolished January 1st, as being pagan and
unchristian like. Then it started dodging around again between Christmas
Day, March 1st (again), March 25th and
Easter. In 1582 the Gregorian Calendar reform
restored January 1st as New Year’s Day but even then it took the British,
including its American colonies, another 170 years to adopt it in 1752.
New Year Resolutions are also believed to have begun with
the Babylonians. Also, all over the world, despite differing beliefs and
culture, people now have their own special ways of celebrating the New Year.
Most, like the Chinese, include noise-making and fireworks, as it was
believed that these dispelled evil spirits and brought good luck.
In Spain twelve grapes are eaten representing the twelve
months of the year. In Greece they bake and eat St. Basil’s cake, which
contains a silver or gold coin – really good luck to the person who gets it
–unless they swallow it or break a tooth! The Dutch burn Christmas trees to
purge the old and welcome in the New Year.
In modern times, here in the UK for example, we seem to have
been reduced to getting drunk whilst watching a Christmas show on TV or
gathering at some prominent city landmark: waiting for Big Ben to strike
midnight. After which we may join in that good old Scottish song, “Auld Lang
Syne”, which speaks of a “cup of kindness”.
And, that’s my message – there is so much anger in the world today - perhaps
all of our resolutions should be about being kinder and more generous to
each other.
A peaceful and amicable New Year is my wish to you all!
Irene Richards |
