When we buy something new – a new car, a bike, a bag, a goggle, perfume, a shoe we strive to maintain it; we handle all new things with care. But, as those things start getting older, we lose interest in them. As human, we have this fascination with ‘newness’.  A newly made acquaintance is always good; we find everything nice in him/her. Similarly when you fall in love, the initial few days you see everything good in the person, new love, new relationship, new job, and new aspiration every “new” in life has a special spot in heart. Because newness brings  eagerness with it.

Similarly a New Year is also special to us. We ring out the old year and invite the new. As we say good bye to one year, we look forward to a new year with a hope and optimism welcoming a brand new chapter into our life. However hard we try to plan, handle and maintain our lives, each year, all of us face situations and circumstances that are completely out of our control. But, still we look forward to welcoming a New Year with keenness. Making resolutions for the New Year is one such strategy to control our life.

(A statue of Janus in Vatican Museum)

Do you know that ancient Romans prayed to Janus – the God of new beginnings?  And, the month January is named after Janus. Romans believed that Janus has two faces: one looking forward and one looking backward. This allowed him to look back – the past and look forward to a new future. On 31^st December, the Romans thus believed in making resolutions, to forgive enemies, forget troubles of past and make a new beginning. The Romans also believed that Janus would forgive them for their past mistakes if they confessed in him to make a new positive beginning. So, they would give gifts and make promises, believing that Janus looks on them and blesses them in the year ahead. New Year’s resolutions are in fashion since then.

It’s common to have New Year resolutions. We spend a lot of time and efforts in making them. A New Year’s resolution is a promise a person makes for the New Year. A resolution is made regardless of what resolution one commits to. The goal is to improve life in the coming year. We spend so much time writing them down with action plans to achieve them; using colored ink to mark some most important ones, discussions with friends, finding reasons for not having achieved few resolutions of current year as yet. Few most common resolutions are: losing weight, strictness with spending money, saving money, staying healthy, go for long walks, getting organized, acquiring more educational degrees, quit smoking, cut down on drinks, buy a new house etc, etc, etc. A research has shown 45% Americans usually make New Year’s resolutions. But, we have seen that however well planned our resolutions are we commonly break them under some or the other excuse. With everything that happens around us, it is sometimes difficult to reach each and every goal.

There are those sticklers who do try their best to attain all resolutions. Many even carry forward the unmet resolutions of previous year to the New Year. I have seen some perfectionists who do achieve most of their resolutions.

The first day of the New Year 2018 signifies the end of a chapter. I probably didn’t reach my highest expectations last year, but it wasn’t all that bad. The New Year of course holds the hopes, the dreams, and the possibilities of a great happening new year. I have made as usual some resolutions, written them down in my diary and resolved to make some good beginnings.

What’s so new about the fresh year? In the night when the clock struck 12 one minute changed the year – from one to next, a new year, a new start. While writing date, it will take some time to get adjusted while writing number of the year. Yes, we will need time to help to get past year into past.

Looking back upon the last couple of years, I feel some emptiness as my parents, some of my friends some acquaintances and my pet who have passed away and left vacuum.  I missed on some opportunities in my career, took some wrong decisions by reacting wrongly to some situations in my career, this has led some people reacting badly to me. But I dint stop, moved ahead in life. I moved forward and I continued to grow. I dumped all disappointments behind. You know, writing a resolution does help a lot. Subconsciously your mind keeps reminding about those unfulfilled resolutions. It makes you take some stern, some lenient, some naïve actions, and they are worth it. Life is all about moving ahead, not remaining stagnant.

A New Year tells us to look forward to what we have not seen. It tells us to stop regretting. It makes us leave past in past. Positive things happen in our life when we sensitively distance ourselves from the pessimistic things.  So stop holding on to those grudges, those small and big hurts, and make room for the best things. Welcome the New Year with open arms.

 Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end – Seneca.

Christmas is classically a peak selling season for retailers in many nations around the world. Sales increase dramatically as all rich and poor purchase gifts, decorations, and supplies to celebrate. In the U.S, the “Christmas shopping season” starts as early as October. In Canada, marketers begin advertising campaigns just before Halloween, (it is a yearly ritual observed in a number of countries to remember all dead people on October 31st), and step up their marketing following Remembrance Day on November 11. In the UK and Ireland, the Christmas shopping season starts from mid November; around the time when high street Christmas lights are turned on to mark the beginning of celebrations. In Mexico it begins from third week.  In the United States, it has been calculated that a quarter of all personal spending takes place during the Christmas shopping season. The winter breeze has a charm in it; shopping in winter is a blissful affair.

Winter season has a rustic appeal. Winter is the coldest season of the year. December and January are chiefly the winter months. Cold winds blow from the north. Thick fog often hides the sun, and cold becomes severe. People are seen basking in the sun, or sitting around the fire, to keep their body warm. In winter, we get lovely fruits and vegetables; it gives us various kinds of seasonal flowers; Dalais, Roses, Lily, Lavender, Primrose, Daisy, and Begonia and many other seasonal beautiful flowers make the season multihued. The winter sky is clear and blue. The roads and paths are clean and dry. You can go for long walks without sweating. The winter sun is mild and warm. Everyone is in full of amusement. The winter season is lit with nice, dim beautiful sconces. The beautiful, cold dew drops on rooftops and ground look as beautiful as pearls. The cold morning with nice music and deep-red rising sun is what people wait for. Winter is indeed a season to be celebrated.

The month of December being the last month of year usually passes fast because of the Christmas and year-end. People usually prefer celebrating year ends in far-off destinations. Therefore after 15^th December you find many people opting for leave. Holiday plans are made well in advance.

And 31st December means celebration for every individual. The New Year carries special symbolism for one and all. And why is the celebration of the New Year so common around the world, as it has been for at least as long as there have been calendars? Behavior that everywhere must surely be tied to something natural in the human beings, something intensely meaningful and important given all the energy and resources we put into both the celebration and our efforts to make good on which we start working well in advance. As common as the celebration of New Year’s Day is, it may be that the symbolism we attach to this one moment is rooted in one of the most powerful motivations of all, and that is our motivation to stay alive another year. And, many of us make list resolutions for the New Year. So what even if we fail to keep most of them…..

At one second past midnight on Sunday, the day will change to Monday, which is otherwise normal ordinary transition that happens every day, with no connotation. But somehow this change, which will end one old year and begin the next New Year 2018. That makes the difference. This unique tick of the clock has always encouraged all of us to celebrate, welcoming the New Year with new zeal and new enthusiasm. On the other hand, some people experience a sense of nostalgia as they reflect on the events that took place in their lives in the past 12 months. To step outside to live day-to-day in which we’re at all times so busy with. For many of us the last day of the year is the day to reflect back; to look flipside, take stock, to assess how we did in the year, and to cheerfully resolve to do better and look forward. Ha! Another year, it’s time to raise our glasses and toast to “our survival” yes, another year to accomplish many more things.

Some people celebrate New Year’s Eve by attending midnight church services, while others gather around in public venues such as hotels, clubs and many gather in friend’s house, grounds etc. The size of festive events for New Year’s Eve varies in size and theme. Some people attend formal masquerade balls while others have costume parties. Many New Year’s Eve celebrations are commenced with firework.

Many people start counting down to New Year’s Day in the last minute or seconds before the last night of the year ends and the New Year begins. Some people tune into watching televised countdowns. As the clock strikes midnight into New Year’s Day, many people celebrate this event by exchanging hugs, kisses, and wish each other a “Happy New Year”. In some parts of the world, including in the United States, many people sing the Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne” during the New Year’s Eve celebrations. The song means can old acquaintances be forgotten and never be brought to mind? The song references the love and kindness that was experienced in the past; it also gives listeners a sense of union and belonging to bring with them into the future. Because of its meaning it’s quite fitting song to be sung on New Year eve.

It is important to note that not all cultures follow the Gregorian calendar in observing New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. But, the Hindus, Chinese, Coptic, Jewish, Islamic calendars differ to that of the Gregorian calendar. However, for businesses around the world, 1^st Jan marks a new beginning of a calendar year.

Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas!!

]]> https://drvidyahattangadi.com/what-is-the-meaning-of-christmas/feed/ 0 https://drvidyahattangadi.com/whats-this-new-year-fervor/ https://drvidyahattangadi.com/whats-this-new-year-fervor/#respond Sun, 29 Dec 2024 00:01:00 +0000 http://drvidyahattangadi.com/?p=2920 Before today’s Gregorian calendar was adopted, the older Julian calendar was used. It was admirably close to the actual length of the year, as it turns out, but the Julian calendar was not so perfect that it didn’t slowly shift off track over the following centuries. Until 1582, by which time Caesar’s calendar had drifted a full 10 days off course, that Pope Gregory XIII (1502 – 1585) finally reformed the Julian calendar. And, do you know that the calendar, as we know it today, was not adopted uniformly across Europe until well into the 18th century. The New Year started on 1 January in 1600.

While for some New Year’s Eve is just another day, for some it is a day filled with fun and frolic. And, for many it is a day of mixed feelings.  On one hand, it is a time to celebrate the end of the year gone by; for some it may be a good year and for some it may not be so, for some it may be a mixture of some good and some bad events. The fact is we can’t hold back the year, it has to pass and we need to welcome what is in store in the New Year. Some people experience a sense of nostalgia as they reflect on the events that took place in their lives in the past 12 months. While many people start thinking about New Year’s resolutions at this time of the year.

Some religions in the world celebrate New Year twice: on 1^st January and their own religious New Year’s Day. In Vietnam the New Year usually begins in February. In India, each of the religious groups has its own date for the beginning of the year.  For most religions in India the New Year comes in April. Iran celebrates New Year’s Day on March 21. The people in Morocco observe the beginning of the year on the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year. The Russian Orthodox Church observes the New Year according to the Julian calendar, which places the day on January 14. And, in Indonesia they have two New Year celebrations — the official one on January 1 and another on the Islamic New Year, which date varies from year to year as per lunar calendar.

Most Christians in the world celebrate New Year’s Eve by attending midnight church services, while others gather around in public venues such as Times Square in New York City,  or Trafalgar Square in London to count down for the closing seconds of the old year. A lot of people hold parties to farewell the parting year and to celebrate the New-coming Year. Some people like to celebrate New Year in far off destinations; you’ll be surprised I know of people who love to celebrate New Year with unknown people in hotels and restaurants. The size and styles of festive events for New Year’s Eve can diverge in size and theme. Some people attend formal masquerade balls while others have costume parties. Some people prefer to have small parties or gatherings at their homes. Many New Year’s Eve celebrations are highlighted by firework display.

Many people like to watch television entertainment shows. Many people bid good bye to the parting year by hugging and kissing and wishing each other “Happy New Year.” In the United States, many people sing the Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne” during the New Year’s Eve celebrations. The New Year signifies that the time has arrived to bid farewell to the by-gone year and to welcome the New Year and if anything changes constantly in life, it is only time which changes constantly. You can’t hold on to good or bad time. With the growth of the western culture across the globe, New Year’s Day on January 1 in the Gregorian calendar has been celebrated all over the globe.

The age-old tradition of planning new resolutions for the coming year is a common sight. A few of the most popular resolutions include losing weight, developing good habits, working hard, getting married (if single), changing job or getting a job, starting new venture, developing a hobby, higher education etc are some common resolutions.

The fact of life is a year comes and stays as guest for 365 or 366 days; it behaves like a good guest and sometimes does not behave well. But, it stays on only for 365 or 366 days with us and therefore we say a good bye to it. We say ‘bye’ to the old guest and welcome the new guest.  And scientifically what is a year? It is the orbital period of the earth moving in its orbit around the sun.

Here is Wishing you all A Happy and Prosperous New Year!!