A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-29-06 - 01-01-07 ~ A Finest New Year's Weekend

Dutchess and Aquamarine

[dutchess]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, DollyCali, GodBlessUSA , Aquamarine ~

Auld Lang Syne - Traditional
Auld Lang Syne - Modern
Auld Lang Syne - For Cat People :)




A Finest Happy New Years Weekend…
History and Traditions

As we enter 2007, this weekend thread is dedicated to traditions past. Please feel free to share your traditions and memories!!!

ANCIENT NEW YEARS

The New Years celebration is the oldest of all holidays. First observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. Around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible cresent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring). The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops, and of blossoming. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary. The Babylonian new year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison.

In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the new year. But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what has come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January 1 as the new year. But in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days.

THE CHURCH'S VIEW OF NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

Although in the first centuries AD the Romans continued celebrating the new year, the early Catholic Church condemned the festivities as paganism. But as Christianity became more widespread, the early church began having its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations, and New Year's Day was no different. New Years is still observed as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some denominations. During the Middle Ages, the Church remained opposed to celebrating New Years. January 1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years.

NEW YEAR TRADITIONS

Other traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. That tradition also dates back to the early Babylonians. Popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

The Tournament of Roses Parade dates back to 1886. In that year, members of the Valley Hunt Club decorated their carriages with flowers. It celebrated the ripening of the orange crop in California. Although the Rose Bowl football game was first played as a part of the Tournament of Roses in 1902, it was replaced by Roman chariot races the following year. In 1916, the football game returned as the sports centerpiece of the festival.

NEW YEARS BABY

The tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in Greece around 600 BC. It was their tradition at that time to celebrate their god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth. Although the early Christians denounced the practice as pagan, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the Church to reevaluate its position. The Church finally allowed its members to celebrate the new year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of the baby Jesus. The use of an image of a baby with a New Years banner as a symbolic representation of the new year was brought to early America by the Germans. They had used the effigy since the fourteenth century.

FOR LUCK IN THE NEW YEAR

Traditionally, it was 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. For that reason, it has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends. Parties often last into the middle of the night after the ringing in of a new year. It was once believed that the first visitor on New Year's Day would bring either good luck or bad luck the rest of the year. It was particularly lucky if that visitor happened to be a tall dark-haired man.

AULD LANG SYNE

The song, "Auld Lang Syne," playing in the background, is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, it was first published in 1796 after Burns' death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition. An old Scotch tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days.".

NEW YEAR'S FOOD TRADITIONS

~ Eating noodles at midnight is customary at Buddhist temples in Japan.

~ A German/Pennsylvania Dutch tradition is to eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's day for good luck.

~ It is a Cuban tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. The 12 grapes signify the last twelve months of the year.

~ German folklore says that eating herring at the stroke of midnight will bring luck for the next year.

~ Eating pickled herring as the first bite of the New Year brings good luck to those of Polish descent.

~ In the southern United States, it is believed eating black eyed peas on New Year's eve will bring luck for the coming year.

~ Also from the south comes the custom of eating greens such as cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, kale or spinach to bring money.

~ One more from the Southerners: eating cornbread will bring wealth.

~The Southern custom of eating greens can be found in other cultures as well, although the cabbage can take many forms, such as sauerkraut or even kimchee.

~ In the Philippines, it is important to have food on the table at midnight in order to insure an abundance of food in the upcoming year.

~ Boiled Cod is a New Year's Eve must in Denmark.

~ Olie Bollen a donut-like fritter is popular in Holland for New Year.

~ Black-eyed peas, fish, apples, and beets are eaten for luck at the Jewish New Year's celebration (not celebrated on Jan 1).

AN INVITATION

To all our friends at FreeRepublic. We hope you have a blessed 2007 and invite you to share a special family tradition or recollections of 2006.

As always, thank you Jim Robinson and all our FreeRepublic family for helping us keep our country moving in the RIGHT direction AND… AS ALWAYS… Our love, prayers and gratitude to our military men and women and their families.

WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST IN 2007!!!!

Happy New Year 2007!

10-01-06 ~ Hall of Fame #17

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12/22 thru 12/25/06 Polar Express ~ Christmas Thread 12-26-06 Military Monday on Tuesday 12/27/06 Warm Fuzzy Wednesday 12/28/06 Pet Day at the Finest

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Kitty Mittens]

Dearest (((((Purple))))), you have Cheered my Day So Many Times with your Wonderful Graphics, but to Date this is my All-Time-Favorite! I Used it as the Background on One of my Laptops, and Tiled it, so there are Always Multiples of them Walking Across my Computer Screen, Lol! Plovers are One of my Favorite Kinds of Birds, and those Little Wading Boots on its Long Legs are just Priceless! Your Son-Shiney Graphics/Pics/Posts are a Joy, a God-Given Joy!

[SnarlinCubBear]

I'm with GEM Purple, so will not snag any of your beautiful graphics. But if someone else has snagged them, and then I snag and post, please forgive in advance.

Thanks - Cub

[Kate of Spice Island]

A pleasant Happy New Year's to you!

[tuliptree76]

Uh oh! I see my name on that list, but my memory must be going because I don't remember that resolution (nor any others that I could have possibly made last year)! Am I in trouble now? LOL!

((((((((Wolfie)))))))

[tuliptree76]

Hi Maj. It can be difficult to get a point across in the manner and tone you intend it to when it's typed online. But I understood what you meant and took no offense to it.

Happy new year!

[luvie]

...for Louibo!

[Majie Purple]

How you two took this is not how I meant for it to be taken. No offense was meant.None taken.
I obviously can't explain it well enough.
Go ahead and do whatever you want to.
You have misunderstood my request so very much.
I'm sorry I typed anything now, because of any mis understanding it caused. I didn't anticipate that any would take this in a manner which I did not entend.

[Majie Purple]

((((Thank You tt!
My tone was just a friendly request is all...
Thank You for understanding what I'm saying.))))

[Majie Purple]

((((Thank You Caring Kitty!...Keep on enjoying using them. That is fine. Thank You for "getting" my meaning!))))

[jaycee]

Right on~~~~~very cute!!

[Majie Purple]

Re: Your 123 You too!

[jaycee]

Thank you for this. I read it all today, Bible verses and all and plan to continue to do this. God Bless You~~~~~

[The Mayor]

My Pleasure... God Bless you!

[Aquamarine]

It's not exactly a tradition but on some New Years we like to stay home and cook a good steak meal. Below is a recipe from 'Bounty of Biltmore Cook Book'.

Filet Mignon With Mushroom-Wine Sauce

INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon margarine, divided
Vegetable cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 1/2 cups dry red wine, divided
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef consomme, undiluted and divided Cracked pepper
4 (4 ounce) filet mignon steaks (about 1 inch thick)
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Melt 11/2 teaspoons margarine in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms; saute 4 minutes. Add 1 cup wine and 3/4 cup consomme; cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove mushrooms, and place in a bowl. Increase heat to high; cook wine mixture 5 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add to mushrooms in bowl; set aside. Wipe skillet with a paper towel.

Sprinkle desired amount of cracked pepper over steaks. Melt remaining 11/2 teaspoons margarine in skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add steaks; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 11/2 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Place on a serving platter, and keep warm.

Combine soy sauce and cornstarch; stir well. Add remaining 1/2 cup wine and consomme to skillet; scrape skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Add mushroom mixture, cornstarch mixture, and chopped thyme; bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Serve with steaks. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

[luvie]

Goodness sakes, you just made me sooooo hungry.

I am so happy to see you back with us, Aqua. You've been missed!

[Aquamarine]

Thank you LUV.
Someone just made a comment to me on something I said three years ago on another thread ... as if I wasn't confused enough! LOL

[luvie]

Man...took them long enough to answer you, didn't it! LOL!

[Kate of Spice Island]

Please view my video tribute to President Ford.

[The Mayor]

Mmmmmm, that sounds and looks great!

We are actually having a Goose this year..
Have to find a good way to cook it.

[Majie Purple]

Very well done! Thanks for the ping!