Blog

 

Did you know that the tradition of new year resolutions goes back thousands of years and was originally a religious celebration occurring in March?   This practice spread to Ancient Rome where Julius Caesar established January 1 as the beginning of the new year. January was named for the god Janus, who was believed to be the god of arches and doorways, who looked back at the previous year and ahead to the future.  Ancient Romans made sacrifices to Janus for their transgressions of the previous year, and promised to be better with the fresh start of the new year.  

Fast forward to 1907 to the first ball drop in New York City.  This was orchestrated by Alfred Ochs, the owner of the New York Times.  Ochs wanted to draw attention away from the traditional ringing of church bells in lower Manhattan as a way of celebrating the new year, and focus attention on the new headquarters of his newspaper in the newly renamed Times Square.  What started as a splashy publicity stunt became a tradition that endures to this day.  

New Year’s Eve has shed almost all of its religious history and is now a secular celebration.  It still retains the basics of saying goodbye to the past and looking to the future with a renewed hope.  

What about those resolutions?  Do you make them? Do you keep them? Do you honor any family traditions?  Let’s hear them here!

I’ll start.  In 2024 I resolve to continue trying to live my best life, show kindness and empathy without being walked on, and practicing moderation in everything.  

Your turns!  Anyone?