Page 24 - North Haven Magazine Issue 21 Holiday 2021

Happy New Year:

by Marisa Hexter
Traditions from Around the World

fresh start! Out with the old, in with the new! We’ve all either heard these phrases
A or said them ourselves at the beginning of a new year. But it’s true, New Year’s Day,
January 1st like clockwork brings in an opening to a brand new year, full of opportunities.
Many feel refreshed, reinvigorated with feelings of hopefulness and excitement of what
the upcoming year will bring. We celebrate by having parties with those who are dear to
us, participating in both traditions passed down through our families or new ones created
with our friends. Resolutions are made to start going to the gym or to stop procrastinating.
Some see January 1st as the start of calm times after a hectic holiday season. But as the
most celebrated public holiday across the world, New Year’s Day is one holiday which truly
brings us all together.
But January 1st was not always the start of to household. Many countries hold parades
the New Year. We have the Gregorian calen- like in London or Pasadena with floats and
dar to thank for that. Before the main adop- music. One of the most famous songs to
tion of the Gregorian calendar in the 18th sing at the stroke of midnight is “Auld Lang
century, the new year began at the vernal Syne” to welcome in the new year. Since the
equinox, around March in many cultures. early 1900s, New York City has hosted the
It is believed January 1st became the day for famous Times Square dropping of the giant
the New Year in 153 BCE in Ancient Rome; ball, hosting thousands of people in person,
the same day the Roman Republic would and millions more watching on television.
swear in their new consuls. March 1st was Fireworks have long since replaced the use
still celebrated as the New Year in private of gunfire, but the long standing tradition
and religious traditions. This changeover of kissing your loved one at midnight has
was under the Julian calendar, created in 45 prevailed for generations.
BCE. This was the predominant calendar in
the western world for 1,600 years. The first
day of the new calendar was also dedicated
to Janus, the god of beginnings. In the end, Personally, when I was young, it was tra-
January 1st is the first day of the solar year, dition to visit my grandparents house, but
where the sun’s position is relative to the there was one rule. A brunette must go
stars in our system. through the door first, which was some-
times difficult to do when most of your
In medieval Christian Europe, other days family are redheads! It is in fact part of an
were celebrated as the new year such as old Scottish tradition called “first footing”.
December 25th, March 1st or 25th, and the Ideally, a brunette man bearing gifts rang-
revolving date for Easter day. Tudor En- ing from money to whiskey to a lump of
gland would celebrate January 1st as a re- coal, each gift represented what one want-
ligious feast day and one of the twelve days ed in the new year. While we did not bring
of Christmastide. Before the widespread whiskey or a lump of coal to my grandpar-
adoption of the Gregorian calendar, many Food and drink are two other important ent’s house, we definitely came together and
European countries and their colonies be- aspects of celebrating the new year. For in- made memories to last a lifetime.
gan to use January 1st as New Year’s Day stance, some Italians or Italian-Americans
like, Germany in 1544, Scotland in 1600, will eat “lenticchie” to bring them good New Year’s Day is just around the corner!
and the British territories in 1752. Current- luck in the upcoming year. “Wassail”, or Will you be participating in any of these
ly, there are quite a few countries through- a “spiced hot pint” is still served today in traditions? Or do you have some special
out the world which continue to practice the United Kingdom, its original meaning ones of your own? New Years is a time to
their own cultural new year concurrently is to toast to each other’s prosperity. Rice, come together and remember the past year,
with the Gregorian New Year, such as Chi- grapes, apples, fritters, and honey are pop- but also to welcome in a new year full of
nese New Year, the first day of the lunar ular foods from throughout the world that promise and potential. Raise a glass and
calendar. are eaten the night before or at midnight toast to a happy and wonderful New Year!
promising good fortune and success for the See you in 2022!
But what of the traditions of New Year’s Day year to come. Within such a public holiday,
and even New Year’s Eve? It’s impossible to friends, family, and neighbors come togeth-
discuss all of the traditions and cultural er to feast and wish well and good luck to
events celebrated throughout the world in each other.
this article. Each culture has many beloved
feasts, games, services, and more for the What about in your own family? What tra-
holiday; and these can change household ditions do you have for New Years Day?

24 North Haven Magazine - Holiday Issue 2021