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Post by rosepedilgirl on Dec 27, 2003 17:19:08 GMT -5
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
the greeting will be said and heard for a least the first couple of weeks as the year 2004 begins,
but did you know that the celebrated as new years day in modern america was not always january 1st.
ancient new years;
the celebration of new year is the oldest of all holidays.
it was observed in the ancient babylon about 4,00 years ago. in the years around 2000 bc , the babylonian new year began with the first new moon( actually the first visible cresent) after the vernal equinox( first day of spring).
the beginning of spring is a logical to start a new year. after all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops and of blossoming..
january 1st, on the other hand , has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. it is purely arbitary..
the babylonian new year celebration lasted for eleven days. each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern new years eve festivities pale in comparison.
the romans continued to observe the new year in late march, but their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors so that the calender soon became out of synchronization with the sun..
in order to set the calendar right , the roman senate in 153bc, decared january 1st to be the beginning of the new year.. but tampering continued until julius ceasar, in 46 bc established what has come to be known as the julian calendar, it again established january 1st as the new year.., but in order to synchronize the calender with the sun, cassar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days..
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Post by rosepedilgirl on Dec 27, 2003 17:24:53 GMT -5
the church'c view of new year celebrations;
although in the first centuries ad the romans continued celebrating the new year, the early catholic church condemned the festivities as paganism..
but as christianity became more widespread, the early church began having its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations, andnew years day was no different. new years is still
observed as the feast of christs circumcision by some denominations.
during the middle ages, the church remained opposed to celebrating new years, january 1st has been celebrated as a holiday by western nations for only the past 400 years.
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Post by rosepedilgirl on Dec 27, 2003 17:38:20 GMT -5
new year traditions;
other traditions of the season included the making of new years eve resolutions. that tradition also dates back to the early babylonians. popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. the early bablonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment..
the tournament of roses parade dates back to 1886. in that year , memebers of the valley hunt club decorated their carriages with flowers. it celebrated the riping of the orange crop in califorinia.
although the rose bowl football game was first as a part of the tournament of roses in 1902, it was replaced by roman chariot races the following year. in 1916 the football game returned as the spots centerpiece of the festival.
the tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in greece around 600 bc.
it was the tradition at the time to celebrate their god of wine. dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the spirit of fertility. early egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth..
although the early christians denounced the practice as pagan,the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the church to reevaluate its position. the church finaaly allowed its members to celbreate the new year with a baby, witch was to symbolize the birth of baby jesus....
the use of an image of a baby with a new years banner as a symbolic representation of the new year was brought to early americia by the germans. they had used the effigy since the fourteenth century..
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Post by rosepedilgirl on Dec 27, 2003 17:39:14 GMT -5
for luck in the new year!
traditionally, it was thought that one could affect the luck theywould have throughout the coming year,by what they did or ate on the first day..
for that reason , it has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of the brand new year in company of friends and family...
it was once believed that the first visitor on new years day would bring good or bad luck, it was particularly licky if the vistor happened to be tall dark- haired man...
traditional new years foods are also thought to bring
luck..
many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring id good luck,
because it symbolizes' coming full circle,
completing a years cycle,,
for that reason the dutch believe that eating donuts on new years day will bring good fortune,,,,
many parts of the u.s celebrate the new year by consuming black eyed peas, these legumes are typically acconpanied by either hog jowls or ham. black eyed peas and legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures..
the hog, and thus it meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity..
cabbage in anothet good luck'' vegable that is consumed on new years day by many. cabbage leaves are also considered a sign of prosperity, being representative of paper currency. in some regions , rice is a lucky food that is eaten on new years day..
here at my house we eat pork and sauekraut on new years day. i have been told it cleans out the bodies old so that the new year will be clean and freshed...another way of good luck for the new year...
is their anyone who has something they eat as a tradtion.....?
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Post by mistyeve on Dec 27, 2003 17:53:17 GMT -5
Dear Rose Pedal Girl---some real interesting historical stuff!!! Thanks for sharing!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU TOO!!!----MISTYEVE
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Post by rosepedilgirl on Dec 27, 2003 17:58:41 GMT -5
so glad you enjoyed,,,
thought it would bring a little knowledge for new years..
if you can add anything feel free....
happy new years
welcome to 2004.
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Post by rosepedilgirl on Dec 27, 2003 18:04:51 GMT -5
auld land syne;
the song '' auld lang syne' playing the background , is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every engish- speaking country in the world to bring in the new year. at least patially written by robert burns in the 1700's . it was first published in 1796 after burns death. early varations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and the inspired burns to produce the modern rendition.. an old scotch tune''auld land syne'' literally means''
old long ago''''' or simply ''the good old days,
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. I will be back looking for Lin and others.