New Year is here and we have very successfully reached the end of the first working week at Peartree Languages. I don't know about you, but I am not a big fan of New Year's Eve's celebration and in more recent years I would rather spend the night with my family than going for massive parties.
Though what we like about New Year is to make a New Year's resolution. If you would like to know my resolutions and resolutions of some of my colleagues and some of our students, check our video.
If you wonder why we actually celebrate New Year's Eve or why people make new year resolutions please keep reading.
The first celebrations of new year are dated back to 4,000 year ago in ancient Babylon. The start of the new year was actually celebrating in March, when the first new moon following the vernal equinox (day with an equal amount of sunlight and darkness, brought the new year.
They celebrated the New Year with a massive festival, that was long for 11 days and involved a different ritual on each of its day. The celebration could bring also a coronation of a new king.
Obviously as every civilization used to have a different calendar, the New Year was celebrated at different times. In Egypt, for example, the year began with the annual flooding of the Nile. Chinese New Year is celebrated with the second new moon after the winter solstice.
Later on, exactly in 46 B.C., the emperor Julius Caesar managed to solve a little issue with the Roman calendar, when every new year begun at the vernal equinox, and after consultations with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians of that time, he introduced Julian calendar, which was very close to the modern Gregorian calendar that is used in most countries all over the world. Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year.
In many countries, New Year is a symbol of new beginning and the celebration starts on 31st of December. The traditions mostly includes food or snacks that might be included in believing of good luck and healthiness in the upcoming year.
In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries people eat 12 grapes as a symbol of their hopes for the months ahead. In Mexico or Greece is unmissable part of festive dinner a pastry in a ring-shape, that symbolizes a sign that the year has come full circle.
The practice of making resolution is going back to the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favour of the gods and start the year off on the right foot.
Medieval knights used to take the "peacock vow" at the end of each year to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry. Early Christians believed the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself. At midnight services, people prepare for the year by praying and making these resolutions.
In the present people make the New Year's Resolution mostly for them, than for Gods. And as there is nobody who will punish them in they break the resolutions, it is not very common that somebody keeps the resolution till the following year.
Let us know if you made any New Year resolutions and what they are.
We wish you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2016!
sources: www.ancient-origins.net
www.history.com
Though what we like about New Year is to make a New Year's resolution. If you would like to know my resolutions and resolutions of some of my colleagues and some of our students, check our video.
If you wonder why we actually celebrate New Year's Eve or why people make new year resolutions please keep reading.
The first celebrations of new year are dated back to 4,000 year ago in ancient Babylon. The start of the new year was actually celebrating in March, when the first new moon following the vernal equinox (day with an equal amount of sunlight and darkness, brought the new year.
They celebrated the New Year with a massive festival, that was long for 11 days and involved a different ritual on each of its day. The celebration could bring also a coronation of a new king.
Obviously as every civilization used to have a different calendar, the New Year was celebrated at different times. In Egypt, for example, the year began with the annual flooding of the Nile. Chinese New Year is celebrated with the second new moon after the winter solstice.
Later on, exactly in 46 B.C., the emperor Julius Caesar managed to solve a little issue with the Roman calendar, when every new year begun at the vernal equinox, and after consultations with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians of that time, he introduced Julian calendar, which was very close to the modern Gregorian calendar that is used in most countries all over the world. Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year.
New Year's Eve traditions
In many countries, New Year is a symbol of new beginning and the celebration starts on 31st of December. The traditions mostly includes food or snacks that might be included in believing of good luck and healthiness in the upcoming year.
In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries people eat 12 grapes as a symbol of their hopes for the months ahead. In Mexico or Greece is unmissable part of festive dinner a pastry in a ring-shape, that symbolizes a sign that the year has come full circle.
New Year's resolution
Another very famous custom for New Year's Eve is making a resolution for the New Year. It is a sort of promise of changes or self-improvements that person makes in the year ahead.The practice of making resolution is going back to the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favour of the gods and start the year off on the right foot.
Medieval knights used to take the "peacock vow" at the end of each year to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry. Early Christians believed the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself. At midnight services, people prepare for the year by praying and making these resolutions.
In the present people make the New Year's Resolution mostly for them, than for Gods. And as there is nobody who will punish them in they break the resolutions, it is not very common that somebody keeps the resolution till the following year.
Let us know if you made any New Year resolutions and what they are.
We wish you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2016!
sources: www.ancient-origins.net
www.history.com
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