by Julie Carter
What do you know about the New Year’s celebration except
that it is when you make resolutions you won’t keep? January 1st wasn’t always
the day celebrated for New Year’s although recognized as one of the oldest of
holidays.
It was first observed in ancient Babylon more than 4000
years ago. Around 2000 BC, Babylonians celebrated the beginning of a new year
on what is now March 23rd. It made more sense in that it was the season of the
year that spring began and new crops were planted. January 1st, on the other
hand, has no astronomical or agricultural significance, only the turning of a
calendar page with a new number for the year denoted.
The Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the
beginning of the New Year and Julius Caesar did the same in 46 BC for the
Julian calendar. But it was George Washington who began the custom of holding a
party on New Year's Day where everyone was welcome. This became known as having
an "open house" and is still done in many places today.
Regional foods help welcome the New Year in various parts of
America.
In Pennsylvania Dutch country, eating sauerkraut on New Year's Day is said to
bring good luck. In the South the custom is to eat black-eyed peas. More often now,
people use aspirin and ibuprofen to cure their celebration pain of the night
before.
Making resolutions on this first day of the New Year can also
be tied to early Babylon. While popular modern resolutions might include the
promise to lose weight or quit smoking, the Babylonians most popular resolution
was to return borrowed farm equipment.
In the cowboy world, resolutions might include a solemn
promise to never eat Brussel sprouts, tofu, skinless chicken breasts, anything
with spinach in it and certainly not fermented cabbage. Occasionally one hears
of a cowboy who has sworn of paying entry fees, but that resolution on lasts
until the next rodeo.
On the upside, a rural ranch dweller might dream of swearing
off ice breaking, manure shoveling or any horse named Bronc. High on that dream
list would be a warm calving season and sleeping longer nights. Next would be
no flat tires, pitchfork use and no work that requires a shovel or a mechanics
tool box.
Of course all those dream resolutions come because the
thought is-- if you are going to make yourself promises you can’t keep, may as
well make big ones.
I would like to resolve to be more disciplined with my work,
smile more often when I’d really rather not, and first look to find praise for
someone or something before I find criticism.
I would like to be a better person today than I thought possible
yesterday and set a higher standard for tomorrow.
I resolve to not mention the words exercise, diet, or svelte
in the same sentence with my name. Health and beauty should be a natural daily
process, not a resolution.
I will continue to remind myself that January 1 is the day
after December 31 and the day before January 2. Nothing more. I will strive to
remember that everyday is a gift, tomorrow is never promised, and that the
people in my life are precious.
I live an abundant blessed life and want to never fail to
recognize that. But most of all I want
to resolve to be resolute-- firm in purpose, belief and unshakeable
determination.
May this next year bring to you all of what you need and
even some of what you want.
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