Celebration of the New Year is recognized world-wide as one of the oldest holidays in existence. Traditions at such celebrations have varied greatly over the centuries. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago and lasted eleven days. The Romans originally observed the new year in late March as the first month in the Roman calendar. The calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors until Caesar set it right in 46 B.C. After establishing his painstaking 445 day Julian calendar, January 1st was pronounced the official Roman New Year’s Day in honor of Janus(god of all beginnings and gate keeper of heaven and earth). The customs in this festival were the exchanging of gifts and resolutions of goodness and friendship.
We owe the tradition of New Year resolutions to the Babylonians. Our goals run multiple gamuts. Their most popular resolution was returning borrowed farm equipment. The Romans partied like Caligula hoping this “cleansing ritual” would purge their sins and change their lives for the better. The wild parties, crazy costumes, ear-splitting noise and fireworks were believed to fend off evil spirits along with the death of the old year and old excesses.
One of the most venerable New Year’s traditions is the midnight champagne toast. Roman wine was not as refined as it is today so a square of burned bread (toast) was placed in the communal wine pitcher and eaten by the last person to drink. The bread absorbed the excess acid making the wine more palatable. Eventually the act of drinking in unison came to be called a toast, from the act of “toasting” ; or floating toast in the wine.
More than 200 years ago, Scottish poet Robert Burns compiled one of the most famous poems in history. After hearing an old man sing the tune he sent the words to George Thomson who commissioned musical settings from composers across Europe. Hence, Auld Lang Syne which loosely translates “for the sake of old times.” Despite the many ruminations, translations and reflections, the entire song’s message merely means to forget the past and look ahead to the new year with hope. The lyrics and meanings can be found here.
Instead of leaving everything to fate, why not enjoy a meal to increase your good fortune? There are a variety of “lucky” foods believed to improve the odds of having a great year.
Cooked Greens
The green leaves resemble folded money and are symbolic of economic fortune. It is widely believed the more greens consumed, the larger one’s fortune.
Legumes
Beans, peas and lentils resemble coins that swell when cooked. They are consumed with financial rewards in mind.
Pork
Pigs symbolize progress, wealth and prosperity. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground and forging ahead.
Fish
The Papacy’s policy against red meat consumption on religious holidays helped make fish commonplace at feasts observed around the world.
Grapes
New Year’s revelers in Spain consume twelve grapes at midnight–one for each stroke of the clock. Each grape represents a month, whether sweet or sour. The goal is to swallow every one before the last stroke of midnight. Swallowing number thirteen was for good measure.
Pastries
In certain cultures it is customary to hide a special trinket or coin inside a pastry. The recipient will celebrate good luck in the New Year and always have coin in his pocket.
Lobster and chicken are to be avoided as they move backwards and signify setbacks. Many cultures believe leaving scraps of food on the table at midnight will guarantee a stocked pantry.
The New Year should be welcomed with positive thoughts and hopes. Despite the diversified religious and traditional observances globally, the culmination is an appreciation for the past coupled with a hope for blessings, peace and prosperity.
References
History.com staff. New Year’s History: Festive Facts . History In The Headlines. December 27, 2011.
Images Courtesy of Yahoo! Public Domain
credit/copyright: Happy-new-year.gif/Wikipedia, 2011. caption: Out with the old and in with the new. New Years is a great time for beginnings.