HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It wasn't a particularly good year.

...But 2012 is going to be awesome 

in the true sense of the word.

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Partying like it's 200 A.D.

 

History of New Years Day

Image via AltMovie.Com

January 1st is considered New Years Day in today's society. But this is a fairly new concept because up until the time of Julius Caesar, the Romans celebrated the New Year in March because it was the first month in the Roman calendar. However, January 1 marked the time when the Romans changed their governmental figures and new consuls were inducted into office. And, they had games and feasting to help celebrate the new officials. But, they still used March 1 as their official mark of the new year and had a festival to their god of war, Mars.

It was Caesar who changed the Roman New Year's Day to January 1 in honor of Janus, God of all beginnings and gate keeper of heaven and earth. Janus was always depicted with two faces: One looking back to the old year and one looking ahead to the new year. One of the customs in the festival honoring Janus was to exchange gifts and then make resolutions to be friendly and good to one another.
When Constantine ruled the Romans and accepted Christianity as their new faith, they kept the Festival of Janus as the New Years Day – not March as before – and turned it into a day of prayer and fasting and not parties etc. It was a day for all good Christians to turn over a new leaf. However, the Romans may have accepted January 1 and Janus as the New Year, but many did not believe in the turning over a new leaf, prayer and fasting part of it.
However, even in 1682, Great Britian and the English colonies in America still kept March for the beginning of the year. Spring was viewed as a time or rebirth and new beginnings. It wasn't until 1752 that Britain and it's colonies adopted the new Gregorian calendar and January 1 as the beginning of the year. But many Puritans in New England felt Janus was an offensive pagan god and chose to simply ignore January 1 as a New Years Day. Instead they just made the entire month of January as "The First Month" of the months.
Today, no one really considers January 1 a fasting day. Ironically, for many it is a major day of feasting on junk food and watching football games on television.

Ohhhhh... 

It's the start of another new year.

Image via Left Coast Rebel

The bacchanal is over and the remains of the day is you. Last night, you partied like it was 1999 and today you, and millions the world over, are paying the price. Was it worth it. Damn right it was! It was one rockin' blast and you wouldn't have missed it for anything. And who can blame you?
But today, January 1st, 2012, is the first day of the rest of your life. I know, I know... That would be fine, that you could cope with, if only those exploding thunderbolts inside your head would just take it down a notch or seven! Sooooooooo, for the moment, maybe turning over a new leaf for a little while might repair some of the wear and tear you've inflicted upon your body since December 1st. Maybe it's time for a few New Year's resolutions. ...Don't worry, we know you won't be keeping them for the whole of 2012 but maybe you will for a little while... Maybe. - Nealbo

Image via Zoomers R Us

How did New Year's Resolutions begin?

The history of making New Year’s resolution began with the Babylonians approximately 4,000 years ago. The Babylonians New Year’s Day was March 23rd which was a logical time because spring begins and crops are planted.

But, we can thank Julius Caesar for the fact we celebrate the new year on January first. Julius Caesar choose January 1 to honor Janus, the two-faced god who looks backwards into the old year and forward into the new. The Romans indulged themselves in alcoholic and sexual excess as a way of acting out all the chaos they hoped a new year would get rid of. So, the New Year's festival was a way to start over. By purging yourself of all this so-called excess energy and confessing your sins, there was a hope that you would be much better in the next year ahead.

Image via Michelle Henry

Still, it was the Babylonians that gives us the idea to make resolutions. They made resolution’s to the gods to get favor. If a resolution is broken it was considered bad luck. One had to give great thought to a resolution to be better, yet one they would have a good chance at keeping. ...Like quitting smoking for New Year's is just asking for absolute failure.

Now, the Puritans never did approve of all this New Year's hoopla. So of course they went for this religious renewal of cleanse, purge, fast, confess idea. So they encouraged young people not to waste the new year on foolish things but to use it as an opportunity to make a good change in their lives for the good. Like some other Christians, they made New Year's vows or pledges focused on overcoming their own weaknesses, to enhance their god-given talents and to make them better citizens to others.
The custom of making New Year's Resolutions came into vogue in the 20th century. But most of it was done with jest and an understanding that they would not be kept for very long, since humans are backsliders by nature and quickly return to their naughty habits and ways. Resolutions today are simply a secular version of the religious vows made in the past toward spiritual perfection. They are often made with good intentions and broken with a sense of humor and renewed annually. 

Via Cojoweb

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