FReeper Canteen - New Year Traditions - 30 Dec 10

A respite place for our troops, vets, military families & supporters! | The Canteen Crew

[AZamericonnie]

New Years Traditions

Some traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. That tradition 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.

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.

Traditional 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. For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune.



Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the new year by consuming black-eyed peas. These legumes are typically accompanied by either hog jowls or ham. Black-eyed peas and other legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Cabbage is another "good luck" vegetable that is consumed on New Year's Day by many. Cabbage leaves are also considered a sign of prosperity, being representative of paper currency. In some regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day.

[GodBlessUSA]

Good Morning E.G.C. :)
How are you today? I’m doing pretty good.
HUGS

[GodBlessUSA]

Good Morning Connie :)
I think I’ll go with the dutch and have the donuts rather than black eyed peas ;)

Happy New Year to you and your family!! May you have many blessings this year.
HUGS

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Everyone.

(where our troops, allies and their families can refresh themselves)

Thank you, Connie , for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities.

Our local DC Metroland weather report

~ Today...A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 45F. Winds light and variable.

~ Tonight...Partly cloudy. Low 33F. Winds light and variable.

Yeehawwww! We're going into the 50s today. My kind of winter!

This report here says 45 but we were near 50 yesterday so I'm betting we'll be in the 50s (per local report).

The only resolution I do each year is simply sleep in the New Year and wake up happy to be alive in the New Year.

Time for me to make my rounds. But, you stay right where you are. Cause...............I'll be back - eventually.

Now remember, the Canteen is ALWAYS

Come on in and sit for a while.
There's always plenty of coffee, pancakes, conversation, silliness, and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM

DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[ConorMacNessa]

Good morning, Beachy!

*HUGS*

Happy Thursday!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[SandRat]

Good Morning.

Put a bike bell on that walker yet ca-ching ca-ching ... ca-ching ca-ching. lol

[beachn4fun]

noooooooooooo

is this anyway to start a New Year?

;)

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning to everyone at the Canteen.
º

[ConorMacNessa]

Good morning, Sandy! Nice to see you this morning!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, CMN ((HUGS))

Happy Thursday to you.

I just read where you are doing better with your rehab. That’s great news. So many people I know were not happy with the results of their surgery.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, dear ((HUGS))

You off today?

[left that other site]

Hi Teenie!
(((HUGS)))

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies.

Well we had a great visit with my brother and his family from Texas. They've gone back and now Bo and I are resting up.

Went to the lawnmower place and had the mower and weed eater tuned up for the grass cutting season.

I'm planning on taking Bo to the lake later today. It's forecast to be in the 60 to low 70's today.

How's it going for you this morning, Beach?

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning beachy and (((HUGS))) to you.

No, I am at work today. Hope to get off early.

See the picture I posted here

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2648685/posts?page=346#346

to see what we are expecting the next few weeks.

[SandRat]

High winds here making all sorts of noise.

So windy we have white - caps in the toilet bowl.

[beachn4fun]

Holey Moley! They do that? I have never seen one do that.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning and ((HUGS)) EG. WOW! you’re having some warm weather. Is that the norm for you out that way?

All is well here. It’s overcast and still chilly this morning. I’m going to run out to the grocery store and see if there’s any turkeys left. Have been enjoying not getting out of bed until 6 a.m. instead of 4:30. Sure will miss it come Monday.

[E.G.C.]

Well, usually we’re in the 30’s for this time of year but some days it does get a little bit warm.

[Arrowhead1952]

You should see the Texas hill country in a few days / weeks. People have called the fire departments thinking the trees are on fire.

[beachn4fun]

I’ll say a little bit warm.

Got to go. See you in the morning. Have fun at lake

[beachn4fun]

Yeah, I can imagine. I would think fire.

Got to go. See you in the morning.