Happy New Year
In the United States, New Year's Day, is the first day of our calendar year. People in almost every country celebrate this day as a holiday. The celebrations are both festive and serious. Many people make New Year's resolutions to break bad habits or to start good ones. Some think about how they have lived during the past year and look forward to the next 12 months.
The Scottish poet, Robert Burns, first penned "Auld Lang Syne" back in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world, its traditional use being to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.
Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes
And pu’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot
Sin auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn,
Frae mornin’ sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin auld lang syne.
© Robert Burns 1788
New Year's Eve is a time to reminisce about the past year and to look forward to the new year ahead. People all around the world have traditions they enjoy each year. I love to tune in and watch all the celebrations around the world and see how other countries are bringing in the New Year while getting dinner ready. A few of our traditions are listed below:
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Watch the Times Square Ball Drop - The New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square has been a tradition since the early 1900s, with celebrations dating back to 1904. But it wasn't until 1907 that the crystal ball made its big debut. Since then, the spectacle has been a staple of New Year's Eve celebrations, with hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets, and millions watching from home.
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New Year's Eve Dinner - We cook quite a bit around my house, and it is usually my husband that is doing the cooking since he loves to cook. It's either going to be a ham steak or pork tenderloin, with a couple types of veggies, grilled jalapenos, pablanos, and bell peppers, southern cornbread with butter, and a pie or cake.
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Count Down to Midnight - Build the anticipation by doing a 10-second countdown to midnight. When the strikes midnight, shout "Happy New Year" and share a smooch with my hubby and hugs all around.
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Toast the New Year - Grab your glass and three cheers to the coming year! The practice of toasting dates back to the ancient world, when people would often raise their glass to someone's good health. No matter how much time has gone by, there's nothing like toasting with those closest to you. The choices you can partake of at our house are usually sparkling cider, champagne, or a can of barley and hops.
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Sing to 'Auld Lang Syne' - This beloved Scottish tune features words written by poet Robert Burns in 1788 (see above), but it existed as a folk song even earlier than that. It's one of the most recognizable songs around the world!
