When I think of New Year’s Eve one word comes to mind, nostalgia. It’s a rich word, a full word – carrying with it the history of our past and the story of our lives.
To give into nostalgia is to acknowledge that life is bittersweet. We recall all the lives, losses and lessons that came before with a depth of emotion that is somehow more acute as we say goodbye to one year and hello to another.
It’s a time to reflect, regroup and remember what the past year has brought – and taken. And what we hope the New Year will be kind enough to bestow upon us. For me, it’s kind of like a ‘do-over’. I take stock of what I’ve achieved in the past year on a personal, relationship and project level and look at ways I can improve my life and those around me in the coming year.
The history of New Years
If it weren’t for the influence of a Greek astronomer, we’d be celebrating the beginning of the New Year in a different month. Back in ancient Rome, it was customary to follow the lunar cycle with the New Year starting in March.
It wasn’t until 46 BC that Sosigenes convinced Julius Caesar to adopt the more manageable solar cycle and January 1st became the official first day of the year.
Since then New Year’s traditions have evolved all over the globe. From the crazy Canadians plunging their nearly naked bodies into icy water to eating food promising to improve your financial and fertile health, the passing of one year to the next is a time of hope. We wish for good health, prosperity, and to keep bad luck at bay.
Some New Years traditions
You gotta love the Irish. They somehow manage to combine good old common sense with a bit of the ridiculous. Case in point, a centuries-old custom is to give your house an early spring-cleaning. The thinking being a clean house means a clean slate going into the New Year. Can’t argue with that. But seems that once you clean your house, another tradition is to then bang bread against the wall to ward off bad luck. If it were me, I’d be banging the bread before I clean. No point having to sweep up all those breadcrumbs from your spotless floor.
In Scotland, New Year’s or Hogmanay is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. The tradition of ‘first-footing’ is celebrated across the country. The first person who crosses a threshold of a home in the New Year should carry a gift of luck. Apparently if the bearer of gifts is tall, dark and handsome, even better. Gifts range from the ceremonial such as a lump of coal, salt, or a piece of shortbread to the more useful like a flask of whisky – all promising to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year.
Here in Italy, I confess I haven’t really gotten into the local customs. Might have something to do with the fact that it means chowing down to a New Year’s Eve meal called zampone e lenticchie consisting of pig’s feet and lentils. Now I’m not really a fan of either but putting the two of them together is not something I’d like to experience in my lifetime. Or at least not the new decade. The younger generation has progressed a bit to combining the pigs feet into a sausage that well, doesn’t look like pigs feet so is somehow less repulsive. I still don’t want to eat it. Apparently if you eat this sausage in combination with the lentils on New Year’s Eve, good luck and prosperity will be yours in the coming year. I think I’ll take my chances.
About the only Italian tradition I can get behind is wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve. Its supposed to bring you not only luck but improved fertility. Not holding out much hope there but I’ll take the good luck.
You may have noticed I’ve covered the traditions of all of my countries of heritage – Italy, Ireland and Scotland. Quite a wacky mix or mista if I was to combine them all. But of course, every country and culture has its own New Year’s traditions. And though the food and activities may vary, the intended outcome is the same: we forge forward into a new year with faith and optimism – and a little bit of superstitious tomfoolery.
A song for the ages
Although our customs differ, most of the English- speaking world is united in their love of an ancient, classic song – Auld Lang Syne. Though the Scottish poet Robert Burns often gets credit for writing this classic, the truth is, it dates way back. Burns was just the first to record it on paper back in 1788.
The phrase ‘auld lang syne’ roughly translates to ‘for old times’ sake’; the song is all about preserving old friendships and looking back over the events of the year. It is sung all over the world, evoking a sense of love, loss and friendship – and nostalgia.
Who among us doesn’t get just a wee bit teary eyed when we gather arm in arm to sing this song as the clock strikes midnight?
“Should
auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne.
Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne,”
New Year’s Resolutions
After we’ve sung Auld Lang Syne and had more than a cup or two, we wake up New Year’s Day and come face-to-face with the dreaded New Year’s Resolutions. That is, if you’ve made them.
The custom of making New Year’s Resolutions goes back some 4,000 years ago. We have the ancient Babylonians, who lived in modern day Iraq, to thank for this torturous tradition. Someone way back then decided it was a good idea to welcome in the first day of a new year making promises to their Gods to return any borrowed objects and repay their debts.
Seems little has changed since then. Getting out of debt remains in the top five promises made every year by optimistic resolution makers.
- Lose weight
- Get fit
- Get out of debt
- Quit smoking
- Save money
The problem is, research claims only about 8% of people have followed through with their resolutions by the time they’re taken another turn around the sun. That means most of us fail.
Which is likely why the majority of my friends don’t make resolutions per say. Instead, they decide to take up a new hobby, try something new, travel somewhere they’ve never explored. They don’t make promises, they make plans.
Ushering in a new decade
This year, as we say goodbye to 2019 we close the door on a decade filled with much change and turmoil. We’ve risen to great heights with technological advances and global awareness of issues that challenge long-held beliefs on everything from climate change to how we’ve woven our social fabric.
We’ve fallen to heartbreaking lows with terrorist attacks, school shootings and devisive politics. Things are unraveling, coming apart. Which means we have the opportunity to rebuild, to make them new again.
Let’s hope this new decade brings about the kind of change that moves us forward, challenges us to be better – to do better. According to leading astrologists, the coming decade will see a ‘huge shift for humanity.’ A massive line-up of planets in Capricorn in 2020 means a restructuring of our world and our lives.
They say it takes one person to change the dynamics of a relationship. Let’s do it. Let’s be that one person. Let’s resolve to be kinder, to talk less and listen more. To be less judgmental. To think about what we can give before we receive.
Lets resolve to make the world a better place.
Happy New Year!! Buon Anno!! May the coming year bring you much love, health and happiness.
A presto
Anna
And just like people that may need multiple attempts to quit smoking, let’s not look at it as failure but a process. Let’s keep trying and not giving up dispite when it doesn’t go as we planned.
Good point Julie. The report stated most people ‘fail’ at keeping resolutions but I like your thoughts that we should approach any attempt at change as a process, a journey and not a failure of our resolve. Happy New Year!!