Tabby's Nocturnal Nights: New Year's Eve traditions

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Another year gone

Well, I made it through another year, pretty much unscathed. As usual, I didn’t get everything accomplished that I wanted to finish before the end of the year, including book projects. I never finish everything I want to, so I wonder why I even bother making New Year’s resolutions. Does anyone ever keep their resolutions?

Curious about the tradition of making resolutions, I looked up the origin of New Year’s resolutions and this is what I found:

The ancient Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts.

The Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named.

In the Medieval era, the knights took the "peacock vow" at the end of the Christmas season each year to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry.

At watchnight services, many Christians prepare for the year ahead by praying and making these resolutions.

I suppose it can’t hurt to make goals for the year. It gives us something to look forward to each new year. But maybe we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves if we can’t finish these goals.

This year I am going to try my best to write/publish as many books as I possibly can. Plus, I am re-launching my dead blog, hoping to breathe some life back into it.

Maybe I didn’t make all my goals for 2013, but I did make it through the year and that should count for something. Smile

Happy New Year!

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Two mortals are caught in the midst of the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.

http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

Friday, December 28, 2012

New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world

We celebrate New Year’s Eve here in the United States on January 1st with a lot of alcohol, fireworks, sparkly clothes, and by dropping a huge lighted ball at Times Square in New York City. New Year’s is one of the oldest and most enduring celebrations.

New Year’s celebrations first started in ancient Babylon. Later, the ancient Romans added the traditions of lots of alcohol and kissing. The kiss is meant to set the tone for the New Year.

Just about every culture celebrates the New Year. The tradition of when the New Year begins and how it is celebrated varies around the world.

In much of India, Nava Varsha is celebrated in March or April. Sikhs celebrate Hola Mohalla in March. Persian Nowruz is also celebrated in the month of March.

In China and Southeast Asia, Lunar New Year is the first day of the first lunar month.

The Chinese New Year is marked with a large multi-course meal.

The Babylonians celebrated with a feast. All borrowed farm equipment was returned, as it would soon be needed to work the fields.

The most ancient New Year tradition in Canada is to feast on lucky foods.

In Norse tradition, the month-long Yule celebration ended around the New Year with a huge feast.

In Scotland, Hogmanay lasts about four days. Guests are expected to bring whisky or fruitcake to every person they visit.

The ancient Egyptians and Greeks paraded a baby around to symbolize the New Year at the end of winter when crops sprouted.

So, however you celebrate the New Year, make it a safe and happy celebration. And if you observe the tradition of a kiss at midnight, be careful who you are standing next to when the clock strikes midnight. Winking smile