Happy New Year
At the stroke of midnight last night, we are told that a New Year began. But why? Is it the birthday of the solar system or something?
The New Year always beings for me on June 26, my birthday. I began school in my sixth New Year, could drive an automobile at the start of my sixteenth New Year, and will be eligible to receive Social Security benefits at the beginning of my sixty-second New Year. Makes sense.
In olden times, the communal New Year began on the crescent of the first New Moon after the spring equinox. Spring signaled the beginning of the New Year. Makes sense.
But January 1?
Well, the Romans had the New Year starting on March 15. That's roughly equivalent to the spring equinox but with a fixed date not dependent on the whim of the moon. Makes sense.
Then the Romans developed the Julian calendar and the beginning of the New Year was moved to January 1 in 153BC.
When the Romans got religion, the start of the New Year got a little crazy wild.
However, with the wide acceptance of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, January 1 was reestablished as the beginning of the New Year in most of the Western World.
And, that's why the ghost of Dick Clark appears in Times Square on New Year's Eve.
So, whenever your New Year begins, I wish it to be a Happy and Prosperous one.
As for me, I'm not taking any chances on the date, and I'm off to cook them hog jowls, black eyed peas and collard greens.
The New Year always beings for me on June 26, my birthday. I began school in my sixth New Year, could drive an automobile at the start of my sixteenth New Year, and will be eligible to receive Social Security benefits at the beginning of my sixty-second New Year. Makes sense.
In olden times, the communal New Year began on the crescent of the first New Moon after the spring equinox. Spring signaled the beginning of the New Year. Makes sense.
But January 1?
Well, the Romans had the New Year starting on March 15. That's roughly equivalent to the spring equinox but with a fixed date not dependent on the whim of the moon. Makes sense.
Then the Romans developed the Julian calendar and the beginning of the New Year was moved to January 1 in 153BC.
When the Romans got religion, the start of the New Year got a little crazy wild.
March 25, falling exactly 9 months before December 25, is the day Mary became pregnant with Jesus of Nazareth. December 25, the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth. January 1, the circumcision date of Jesus of Nazareth
However, with the wide acceptance of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, January 1 was reestablished as the beginning of the New Year in most of the Western World.
And, that's why the ghost of Dick Clark appears in Times Square on New Year's Eve.
So, whenever your New Year begins, I wish it to be a Happy and Prosperous one.
As for me, I'm not taking any chances on the date, and I'm off to cook them hog jowls, black eyed peas and collard greens.
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