New Year’s Eve is just days away and the countdown until
2018 has begun. Parties and events are planned and people are excited to
celebrate the start of a new year. For some people, the end of one year and the
start of a new year is important and represents a transition. New year
resolutions are made and people use this time to improve themselves and their
life. New Year’s Eve is celebrated in many ways around the world. New Years has
been celebrated for thousands and thousands of years. Today, most New Year’s
celebrations begin on December 31 and continue into the early hours of January
1. Common traditions include special themed parties, eating certain New Year’s
foods, watching firework displays, and counting down until the clock strikes
midnight. While these are common ways people celebrate, it isn’t always the
case. Your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company has some insight into how
our New Year traditions began.
Ancient New Year’s Celebration
New Year celebrations go back 4,000 years ago to ancient Babylon. These festivities may go back even further, but the earliest recorded celebrations were recorded in Babylon. For the Babylonians, the first new moon that follows the vernal equinox – which is a day in late March where there is an equal amount of sunlight and darkness – was the beginning of a new year. They marked that occasion with a large religious festival called Akitu, which is derived from the Sumerian word for barley, which was cut in the spring. This particular festival lasted 11 days and involved a different ritual each day.
The New Year
The early Roman calendar was 304 days in length and consisted of only 10 months. With this calendar, the new year began at the vernal equinox which took place in late March. It was created by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in the eighth century. Numa Pompilius, a later king, is credited with adding the extra 2 months which were known as Januarius and Februarius. As time went on, the calendar had fallen out of sync with the sun, and in 46 B.C. the emperor Julius Caesar decided to solve this issue by consulting with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians at that time. They had come up with a new solution that was known as the Julian calendar. This calendar closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that we use today. Along with the new calendar, Caesar also marked January 1 as the first day of the year to honor the month’s namesake Janus, which is the Roman God of beginnings. The Romans celebrated the new year by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending lavish parties.
New Year Traditions
Fast forward to today and new year celebrations look much different. In many countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on the evening of December 31 and continue into the early hours of January 1. It is very common for people to have extravagant meals and snacks that are thought to bring good luck in the coming year. In many different parts of the world, traditional New Year’s dishes feature legumes that resemble coins, which will bring them financial success in the coming year. In some cultures, pigs represent progress and prosperity, so it is common for pork to appear on the New Year’s menu. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries are often served in the Netherlands, Mexico and Greece as a sign that the year has come full circle. In Sweden and Norway, they usually service rice pudding with an almond hidden inside. Whoever finds the almond can expect 12 months of good fortune.
Happy New Year From A B Pest Control & Insulation
Everyone at A B Pest Control & Insulation wants to wish you a safe and happy New Year. We hope 2018 will be filled with happiness, good health, and success. If you are going out to celebrate, have fun and be safe! Don’t forget to kick off your new year with a pest free home. From pest control to lawn maintenance, your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company takes care of it all.
Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company
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