Happy New Year

“Of all sound of all bells… most solemn and touching is the peal which rings out the Old Year.” – Charles Lamb

On Friday, we officially kicked off the New Year with music and good food, family and friends. Interestingly, though the “New Year” was celebrated more than 4000 years ago, in Western cultures it was only celebrated from about 400 hundred years ago. For instance, in India, New Year is celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaithra (Mid April) and it’s been observed for more than 5100 years – of the present Kali Yuga.

In fact, the current date celebrated as “New Year’s” day was chosen in 153 BC by Julius Caesar. If you’re a fan of Roman and Greek mythology, you’ll be interested to know that the month January was named after the God of Doorways – Janus. He was given two faces – one which looked ahead to see what the new year would bring, and the other looked backward to see what happened during the past year. This is symbolic since you can never move forward if you completely ignore what happened in your past.

There is the caution that “those that forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them!” I guess in the case of Janus, being ‘two-faced’ wasn’t a bad thing!

They’re so many different traditions and superstitions concerning New Year’s Day in every country, it’s impossible to keep track of all of them. From the Dutch tradition of eating a donut (representing completing a year’s cycle) for luck or to the Scottish belief that it’s especially lucky if a tall, dark and handsome man is the first person to enter your house, it’s clear that different cultures have very different ideas about what makes you lucky!

But what is common in all cultures, is the fact that the New Year represents a new beginning – a chance to start afresh with new resolutions for the New Year (unfortunately, I’m as guilty as anyone else of conveniently forgetting those resolutions by the next week!).

Of course, we won’t be hoping for only ourselves to change for the better this New Year, we’ll be wishing for other things as well. Maybe for West Indies to become the number one Test team again (please?)

New Year’s Eve truly is a magical time. When we were very young (and still naïve) my father insisted that we be up and outside to see the “Old Year Clouds” move over and be replaced by the “New Year Clouds”. Do others also have this tradition? There’s a special joy in counting down those last few seconds until you light off the fireworks to usher in the New Year. And then the invariable hugs, shouting and general pandemonium as everyone celebrates making it through yet another year – another year full of possibilities and dreams.

But the New Year doesn’t just have to mean moving on, the New Year is also a time to strengthen bonds with those you love, keeping in mind that January 1, 2016 isn’t the end, in fact, it may only be the end of the beginning.

Happy New Year (or as they say in Greece, “Eutychismenos o kainourgios chromos!”)!