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ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 - ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 -   ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 - ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 -  ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 - ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 -  ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 - ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 -  ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 - ENFIELD BOROUGH OVER 50s FORUM MEMBERSHIP TOTAL AS OF 01/01/2010: 2872 -

                                         

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

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