Tonight and tomorrow and for the next few weeks you will greet those that you meet with, “Happy New Year!” This is the oldest of holidays. What is now celebrated Jan. 1 in America was not always celebrated on this day.
The first New Year’s celebration was about 4,000 years ago in ancient Babylon. In the years around 2000 BC the New Year in Babylon began with the first new moon after the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox was the first day of spring. Since the spring is the season of new growth, the planting of crops and of blossoming, it was the natural time to celebrate the New Year or rebirth. This date did not have any agricultural or astronomical significance. The early Babylonian New Year celebration lasted eleven days. Our celebration is quite insignificant in contrast to the 11-day event.
The Romans celebrated the New Year in late March. Depending on the emperor in power, the calendar met with constant changes and got out of synchronization with the sun. In order to set the calendar right, in 153 BC, the Roman Senate declared Jan. 1 to be the beginning of the New Year. The emperors continued to fiddle with the calendar until 46 BC when Julius Caesar established what we now know as the Julian calendar. In so doing, to get the synchronization corrected, he had to allow the calendar that year to drag on for 445 days.
Through the first centuries AD the Romans celebrated the New Year but the Catholic Church condemned the festivities as pagan. As Christianity became more widespread, the early church began religious ceremonies concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations and the New Year celebration was no exception. In some denominations, New Year’s Day is observed as the Feast of Christ’s Circumcision.
Traditions of New Year’s celebration include the making of resolutions. Although the early Babylonians vowed to return borrowed farm equipment, now we vow to lose weight, make more money, quit bad habits, etc.
Superstitions including eating peas for luck and greens for money still exist and I figure why not give it a try ,as everyone needs good luck.
“Auld Lang Syne” will play at the stroke of midnight in almost all English speaking countries. It was partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700s but not published until after his death in 1796. Early versions of “Auld Lang Syne” literally mean “old long ago” or “the good old days.” Early variations of the old Scottish tune inspired Burns to pen the modern version. Join old friends and family and share this popular tune.
As you eat your tasty peas and greens and greet the neighbors with good wishes, please pray for our nation and country. We need to remember in prayer our soldiers and statesman in charge of securing our freedom in and out of our country. Please pray for wise leadership and safe protection of this great nation which is in such great turmoil. 2010 can be a very good year and we hope for the best for everyone.
Historic Effingham Society wishes each of you a safe, prosperous and Happy New Year!
This article was written by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have comments, photos or information to share contact her at 754-6681 or email: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org
