The transition to a new year would not be complete without New Year’s Eve. It is important to enjoy good food, spend time with loved ones, have fun with friends, and eat delicious food. NYE is a widely-respected holiday.
We can’t help but wish for a brighter and better future after a difficult year. This holiday didn’t just become popular overnight. Many historical events helped make New Year’s Eve what it is today. Continue reading to learn more about New Year’s Eve’s history and how you can appreciate it.
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How The New Year Celebrations Began
Around 2000 B.C. was the first recorded New Year celebration. in Mesopotamia. This happened at the vernal-equinox time, which was towards the end March. Babylonians would celebrate a religious festival called Akitu, which is derived from the Sumerian term barley. They would perform several rituals that would last 11 days.
Atiku was not only celebrating the New Year but also the victory of Marduk’s (Babylonian’s sky god), over Tiamat (evil sea goddess). The fall equinox would mark the beginning of the New Year for Egyptians, Persians, and Phoenicians. The winter solstice was when the New Year was celebrated by the Greeks.
March 1 Is The New Year
The Roman calendar had 10 months, or 304 days. It was March 1, then, that marked the New Year. The ninth through the twelfth month, or September through December, as we are often referred to, was also known as the seventh through tenth.
January 1 Is The New Year
Origin of January 1 as the New Year is dated back to 46 B.C. when Julius Caesar created the solar-based Julian Calendar. This was in response to the outdated Roman calendar that was lunar-based.
Janu, the Roman god of beginnings with two faces, was another reason January 1 became the New Year’s start date. This allows him to go back in time and look forward to the future.
Ancient people used to offer sacrifices to the gods of beginnings and decorate their homes with laurel branches. They also exchanged gifts.
The New Year celebrations were however paganistic. January 1 was therefore removed from the calendar as the beginning of the year. The beginning of the New Year was considered to be December 25, the date Jesus was born. March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation was used to replace January 1.
Gregorian Calendar
According to the Gregorian calendar, NYE falls on December 31. This calendar was established in Rome by Pope Gregory XIII in late 1582. The Julian calendar, which Julius Caesar introduced, was subject to minimal changes.
Some days were also removed when the solar year calendar replaced the lunar cycle calendar. The days following October 4, 1582 were changed to October 15. It is only possible to imagine how people who were born between October 5 and 14 felt.
The Gregorian calendar was first used by the Catholic Church. However, the Gregorian calendar has been slowly adopted by other European countries like Germany, Russia, Denmark, Russia and Scotland. The Gregorian calendar can be used in different countries today.
New Year’s Eve: Traditions And Celebrations
It’s impossible to say goodbye 2021 and welcome in another year without celebrating the New Year’s Eve. While each country has its own traditions and celebrations for this occasion, there are many common ways to celebrate it.
Good Luck Food
The variety of food that can be shared with friends and family is one of the highlights of New Years Eve. We are looking forward to a better year and we love to choose foods that have meanings. Let us bring luck with these examples:
12 Grapes At Midnight
Spain has a long tradition of eating twelve grapes at New Year’s Eve. That’s one grape for each minute after midnight. To enjoy a lucky year, you must eat all 12 grapes. The next year could be very difficult if you don’t. You need to chew them all before the clock stops ticking!
Cakes
Round cakes are symbolic of the circle of life in Greece, Mexico, the Netherlands and other countries. Some people would place coins or trinkets inside the cake. If you are lucky enough to win it, you can expect to have good luck the next year.
Pork
In countries such as Portugal, Austria, and Cuba, pigs are a symbol of progress. As a way of attracting prosperity for the next 365 day, it is common to eat pork on New Year’s Eve.
Legumes
Legumes are symbolic of financial success and look like old Roman coins. This is why lentils are popular in Italy, while Americans use black-eyed beans to make their New Year’s Eve dishes.
Noodles
Long noodles are believed to increase your life expectancy and improve your health. It is important to not break the noodles in half while you eat them. To symbolize the passage from one year to another, Japanese people eat soba noodles every New Year’s Eve. This means that they can forget about the regrets from the previous year.
The Right Underwear
Some countries, especially Latin America, believe that underwear can make you successful and prosper. Red underwear is a good choice if you are looking to be lucky in your relationships and love. Yellow underwear can bring you money, luck, and happiness.
Midnight Kiss
A popular New Year’s Eve tradition most people love is the midnight hug. This can be done with your partner, or even a friend. You may be wondering how this particular part of New Year’s Eve’s history began. It is believed to have originated from Saturnalia, an ancient pagan festival that involved lots of singing, dancing and drinking.
A midnight kiss is believed to bring good fortune in both English and German folklore. It is believed that your year’s fate will be determined by the last person you kissed. You might consider carefully choosing your partner.
Setting New Year’s Resolutions
We love making New Year’s Resolutions. These resolutions can be used to improve our health, spend more time with our families, or pursue goals and aspirations. They also help us to love ourselves more. Did you know this custom began four millennia back? Babylonians would promise the gods a better year in order to get it.
Romans offered sacrifices to Janus and promised him good deeds. They would return farm tools they had borrowed and settle their debts. Christians view the occasion as an opportunity to reflect on their past mistakes and to plan for the future. The spiritual aspect of New Year’s resolutions is over, but the focus on personal development has been key to creating new year’s resolutions.
Feuerwerks
You can also use different noisemakers or throw fireworks to welcome the new year. We need to go back to China’s seventh century A.D. to find out when and where firework traditions began.
Fireworks were originally created to scare away evil spirits. They are also believed to bring good fortune and prosperity. Different colors and designs can be associated with different types of luck.
Keep Doors And Windows Open
Even though it may be cold, keeping your windows and doors open on New Year’s Eve is a smart idea. In the Philippines, however, this is done at midnight to get rid of any negative energy and attract positive energy for the new year.
Hang Onions At Your Door
This is another bad idea, as your home may not look or smell good on New Year’s Eve. This practice is believed to be a sign of growth and rebirth in Greece. The parents would ask their children to place the onions on top of their heads in order to attract good luck for the next year.
Get Water Out Of The Window
A second practice that is believed to repel evil spirits is to throw water out of a window on New Year’s Eve. This practice is particularly popular in Latin America. This tradition is also a symbol of renewal. It’s a great way to say goodbye and begin a new year.
Wearing White Clothing
Brazil is known for its beach vacations. People in Brazil love to wear white clothes on New Year’s Eve, hoping for good fortune and peace next year.
Singing Auld Lang Sye
You’ve probably heard the Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne” at a New Year’s Eve celebration. In English, it can be translated as “old long ago” or “for sake of old times.” Robert Burns, a Scots-language poet, wrote this poem in 1788. It was however inspired by a Scottish folk song.
You won’t even have to know the lyrics. Everyone will enjoy singing and dancing together, and you’ll be able to hold hands. Although “Auld Lang Syne”, is about memories and old friends, it can also be used to say goodbye to an old year and welcome in a new one.
NYE: The Ball Drops
The history of New Year’s Eve has included the tradition of watching the ball drop in Times Square at midnight. You might wonder how this tradition began. For setting their timepieces, sailors used what was called a chronometer or time ball back in the day. They would use a spyglass to navigate the harbor and locate balls that were dropped into the water at certain times.
The first ball to be dropped in Portsmouth was 1829. England. Another one was used 1845 in Washington, D.C., and then in 1907, the tradition began of dropping the ball at Times Square on New Years Eve.
Toast
Champagne toasts are a popular way to welcome the new year. It is a tradition among Christians to drink wine at the Eucharist, symbolizing Christ’s blood.
Wine was first introduced to Champagne in France during baptisms. It was gradually being used in religious events. Ancient people used to raise their glasses and toast health and honor. Individuals from all parts of the globe would toast the new year by making that toast.
Denver Resolution: Make The Best New Year’s Eve Ever
Understanding the history of New Year’s Eve is a great way to understand the event and its significance. The NYE tradition includes singing, dancing and drinking.
Enjoy the best drinks from over 40 bartenders. You can also enjoy live music with top-rated DJs, see stunning light shows and watch a New Year countdown at every venue. Denver Resolution New Years Eve is not to be missed. Grab your tickets and join the largest NYE party in Denver!
