January is the month of fresh starts
Venturing into the great outdoors is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions but it can be particularly difficult in the dark, cold days of January.
As we approach the New Year, we are all presented with the opportunity to make ourselves into better people. A chance to start slowly and build to a great achievement… and maybe this year we will.
After the excesses of Christmas, we all reach for the New Year Resolution cure. It’s time for a new activity, time to refrain from old habits and besides all that, maybe it’s finally time to take the health professional’s advice and do that 20-minute walk each day.
I’m reminded of a story that was attached to an old neighbour of mine. It was said that once when his mare ass gave birth to a bouncing foal, he decided to lift the foal off the ground a few times every day. The theory was that as the foal grew into asshood, so would the man’s strength. If the story is to be believed, the man achieved his goal and the day eventually came when he could lift the foal, now a fully-grown ass, clean off the ground. If come the first of January, you find yourself the owner of a new ass foal, you could try this stunt at home, but I would suggest you start with that Christmas puppy instead.
January is the month of fresh starts; a new year and a chance to grow with the seasons. An interesting suggestion, from an unknown author, goes: “Each year you make a resolution to change yourself. This year, make a resolution to be yourself.”
I think it might be a pretty good place to start; it allows for a little self-examination and then off you go. Few of us know who we are but most of us, it seems, have a better idea of what we should be.
I heard of an old German tradition recently centring on both the 12 days of Christmas and New Year. The ritual asked the participant to list 13 things they would like to do or achieve in the New Year. The items on the list were then individually threaded into a large pine cone. Each day, for the 12 days of Christmas, the participant drew an item from the list and simply, without looking at it, put it in the fire. Then, on the last day, there was just one item remaining. This, the ritual stated, was the one thing that you should work on as your New Year resolution.
It is an interesting ritual from the participant’s point of view; one has no control over what wish is drawn but is simply handed a surprise; one item to work on for the year ahead. I must say I liked the idea and hope to give it a shot myself before December is out.
There was little enough fuss about New Year in my home place but in other places, along the mountain, there were plenty activities associated with New Year’s Day. As with all traditions, there were things to do and things to avoid. One activity was to sweep the old year out and then sweep the New Year in. Starting at the hearth, one swept towards the door and with twig in hand, no stroke was spared in getting that old year off the premises. In some places, a group of people might arrive to do the task for the people of the house.
outlines a few more traditions associated with New Year.
Start the year with a kiss from a loved one at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Kissing at the stroke of midnight is a classic New Year’s Eve tradition for lovers, families, and friends of all ages. Many people believe you will have a special relationship with the first person you kiss as the clock strikes midnight. And, if you are single and don’t kiss anyone when the clock strikes twelve, you’ll be lonely for the entire year. This New Year’s superstition might explain why many people pine for that special someone on New Year’s Eve.
According to English and German folklore, kissing your lover at midnight is thought to ensure a New Year filled with their affections, set the tone for the remainder of the year, and strengthen the ties you wish to maintain into the future. The tradition of kissing at midnight is reputed to have originated at the Scottish end-of-the-year celebration, Hogmanay. At Hogmanay, it is customary to kiss everyone in the room at the stroke of midnight. In ancient times, Hogmanay was a pre-Christmas festival associated with the winter solstice.
I’m sure many a farmer along the slopes of the Ox Mountains will take advantage of the resolution season to make a fresh look with his or her farming operation this New Year. Maybe the thought of going organic or keeping less stock or simply managing their system in a way that allows more time for family will be mused over.
So often, the human condition leads us down old alleyways; we will follow tradition, we will work honest and hard or, it’s all I know, I’ll hardly change now! These days, there are so many options, so many alternatives, so many opportunities for change. It’s a bit like asking for help; the thought of it makes us feel weak and yet, so often, we are actually empowered when we accept, when we embrace change.
And what about that walk or the cycle that you know you can incorporate into your daily routine but you always find an excuse to avoid - the weather is too bad or the journey too long. They say any activity becomes a habit if completed for 21 consecutive days. So, by January 21, 2024, we should all be well on our way to achieving our new ambitions.
One of the most popular and standard New Year’s Eve traditions is the singing of . Sung as the clock strikes midnight on December 31, the old song is one of the first things likely to be heard after the sound of bursting fireworks and the cries of Happy New Year.
was originally a Scottish poem that was later set to music. The phrase “auld lang syne” translates literally to “old long since” in English and means something akin to “times gone by”. Although most people are baffled by the lyrics and wonder what they mean, 2024 is a perfect year to honour this age-old New Year’s Day tradition because the words ring as accurately today as they did… in times gone by.
