The choice of January the 1st as the day to celebrate a new year is arbitrary as in ancient cultures the logical time to celebrate the birth of a new year’s cycle would be the first day of spring when planting crops could resume and with a harvest to look forward to.
Where did New Year Celebrations Start?
New Year’s celebrations can be traced back to the ancient Babylonians, about 4000 years ago. They celebrated the New Year at the appearance of the first visible moon after the first day of spring. Compared to the eleven-day Babylonian celebration today’s revelries are muted and staid.
The Romans also celebrated New Year in March until the Julian calendar fixed the date at January the first and there it has remained.
The Early Christian Church and New Year
New Year celebrations have their foundations firmly in pagan rites and rituals so the early Christian church unsuccessfully attempted to ban all festivities and carousing. But it had to recognise that the common people required a time to make merry during dark, cold and bleak wintertime when life was harsh and survival far from certain.
Auld Lang Syne
In the English-speaking world Robert Burns’ air Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung on the stroke of midnight as the old year dies and the New Year is born. Burns adapted and added to the lyrics of a traditional Scots airs later calling the ditty Auld Lang Syne. It was published in 1796 after his death. The title simply means Old Long Since, or for Old Times Sake.
In the small Welsh mining valley town of Mountain Ash it has become a tradition to run a midnight marathon on New Year’s Eve.
It is run in remembrance of Welsh runner Guto Nyth Bran and his legendary athletic prowess. Held annually on New Year’s Eve in Mountain Ash, in the Cynon Valley, South Wales, the Races follow a 5 km route around the town. And each year a celebrity runner participates.
Guto is a legendary figure in the Glamorganshire valleys, the tale of his running five miles uphill from Pontypridd to Llanwynno before a kettle boiled are famous. One version of the story has it that after the run the congratulatory slaps on the back caused him to collapse and die in the arms of his fiancé. He was 37 when he died.
Guto was certainly a real person and his grave can be seen at Llanwynno church yard.
First Footing
Widespread throughout the British Isles first footing brings good luck, prosperity, food and warmth to the household. The first footer must be a man who is tall and dark haired, women and fair men bring bad luck.
It is traditional that the first footer brings gifts to the house; a piece of coal, some food, a small coin, also a nip of whiskey is welcome. In Scotland the tradition is more elaborate and followed by general merry making and carousing.
Resolutions
As the years change from one to another so people wish to make a new start too. New Year’s Resolutions are made with people vowing to change an aspect of their behaviour, reduced drinking or stop smoking, get a new job. Whether these resolutions are kept for more than a few days is debatable. But at least the traditional thing has been done.
European Traditions
Travel to any Spanish marker on the few days before New Year’s Eve and you will be met with a see of red female underwear. Spanish ladies believe that to wear red under garments on New Year’s Eve will bring good luck for the rest of the year.
One tradition that all can join in and enjoy is the “Twelve Grapes”. Spaniards have a tradition of eating 12 grapes, one for each stroke of the clock’s chimes. Each grape represents a month and should one manage to eat all 12 finishing the 12th on the last chime good luck is assured for the coming year.
While the Swiss believe that dropping a dollop of cream on the floor brings good luck and the Belgian farmers wish their cattle Happy New Year to protect them throughout the coming year.
The French being gourmands gorge on Pancakes. And Romanians listen to hear animals speak, a talking animal is considered bad luck so they are joyously happy when none of the animals utter a word.
And Germans love nothing better than watching a British comedy sketch called Dinner for One.
Bolivians make little straw people that hang outside the front door to bring good luck.
The western New Year is just one of very many national and regional New Years. It may be the most widely observed but it is not the only one.
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