History of New Years Day

History of New Years Day 145 The celebration of the new year is one of the oldest holidays. Many believe it was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago it marked the first New Moon after the Vernal Equinox. The Babylonian new year celebration lasted for eleven days. How did New Years Day move from the summer to the winter? A good question, especially since the spring is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops, and of blossoming. Today New years Day is January 1st.  The month of January was named for their god, Janus, who is pictured with two heads. One looks forward, the other back, symbolizing a break between the old and new. The Greeks paraded a baby in a basket to represent the spirit of fertility. Christians adopted this symbol as the birth of the baby Jesus and continued what started as a pagan ritual. Today our New Year's symbols are a newborn baby starting the next year and an old man winding up the last year.  Not all countries celebrate New Year at the same time, nor in the same way. This is because people in different parts of the world use different calendars. Long ago, people divided time into days, months, and years. Some calendars are based on the movement of the moon, others are based on the position of the sun, while others are based on both the sun and the moon. All over the world, there are special beliefs about New Year.  The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah. It is a holy time when people reflect on the things done wrong in the past, with a promise to do better in the future. Religious services are held in synagogues, and an instrument called a Shofar, which is made from a ram's horn is played. Children are given new clothes, and New Year loaves are baked and fruit is eaten to remind people of harvest time.  The Chinese New Year is celebrated some time between January 17 and February 19, at the time of the new moon, and it is called Yuan Tan. It is celebrated by Chinese people all over the world, and street parades are an exciting part of their New Year. At the Festival of Lanterns thousands of lanterns are used to light the way for the New Year. The Chinese people believe that there are evil spirits around at New Year, so they let off firecrackers to frighten the spirits away. Sometimes they seal their windows and doors with paper to keep the evil spirits out.  The traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. Making a resolutions to change some part of one's life also dates back to the early Babylonians. Today most people promise to lose weight or quit smoking.  Our ancestors thought that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. It has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends.  New Year foods are also thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. Some put coins in black-eyed peas and the person who gets the coin in their meal will be prosperous in the coming year.

Hello friends, Well here we are again toasting in the new year, hoping that it will be a happy and healthy one. Well for some of us it will  be, but not for all of us, and that makes ME sad. You see, that the new year is a time to look back, as well as forward, to see what's ahead. WE need to change the mindset in our society today, so that we can have a positive outlook for OUR tomorrows. What I can see is, that those in charge of our well being, DIDN'T do what they said they would DO. That leaves US in uncertainty, as to the direction in which were headed, it's not the right answer for me. It's our jobs, our homes, our food, our health, and our land that is in jeopardy! This is not acceptable, and those who were elected to serve and protect the people, should be held accountable to them for not doing so. So OUR NEW YEARS resolution should be WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN IF WE WANT IT TO BE, because it's the HOME of the BRAVE and the LAND of the FREE. Just BELIEVE in "WE THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE and ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL, UNITED WE STAND AND DIVIDED WE FALL! Have a SAFE and HAPPY NEW YEAR  GOD BLESS

CHRISTMASThe popular celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian and secular themes and origins.[19] Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving, Christmas music and caroling, an exchange of Christmas cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations, including Christmas trees, lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly. In addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas and Kris Kringle among other names, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore.[20] Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

Hello friends, Well Christmas is here, and what have we done to keep  "CHRISTMAS" alive and well? First, Christmas is when Jesus Christ was born, hence CHRISTmas, so let's keep CHRIST in CHRISTMAS. A day of reflection and celebration, in his holy honor for us to keep the FAITH. Goodwill towards us, is what Christmas is all about, faith, family and friends. Peace on earth, love one another, help each other, and show we care is also part of the CHRISTMAS SPIRT. Giving of what we can to those who need it the most, is what we should be doing, but ARE WE?  I think not the best we could do, don't you agree with me_____ I'll take that as a yes. Giving can be a simple "MERRY CHRISTMAS" to everyone you talk to, a handshake as well, shows you care about them. It's nice to receive, just as nice to give, makes it a double blessing. Gratitude, to be grateful to be able to share the simple things, that bring joy and happiness to us. Christmas has gotten to commercialized, it''s turned into a business, to bad. To give to the people who have not, makes us realize what we have to give. Sounds simple and easy huh, why not try it for yourself and see how it feels. It's one of  the best feelings that we can feel, knowing that you helped make it better for others. Don't let the SPIRT of Christmas slip away, it's what we all need to stay connected. Not the disconnection, division and dysfunction that is in our society today, slowly dissolving all human feelings for each other. WE should celebrate Christmas 365 days a year, to GIVE every day, would definitely change the world to be a better place in which to live. Which brings to mind a quote from me," in order to live you have to give, if you only take it's going to break" So please keep CHRISTMAS alive and well, because if you don't we're going to hell(sorry). Christmas is for the children, so teach them about Christ first, then about Santa Claus and the present. GOD'S gift to us every day, is the PRESENT, the here and now, so make it the best day possible. Today and every day hereafter! GIVE- GOODWILL- PEACE-LOVE-MERRY CHRISTMAS to ALL