The staff and management of Foster Folly News want to express gratitude for the many blessings of 2023, and we especially want to thank all our friends, clients and associates, all of whom have helped to make 2023 a huge success.
As we look toward 2024, we are optimistic, thankful and prepared, and we intend to take advantage of all that the New Year promises.
So Happy New Year to you, your family and all your loved ones, and may you enjoy all the blessings you deserve.
By the way, New Year’s Eve (December 31) was chosen partly in honor of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and the month’s namesake.
You might be surprised to know that New Year’s has a long, ancient history; in fact, the earliest recorded celebration to honor the new year is believed to date back some 4,000 years- in 2,000 B.C.- to ancient Babylon.
Though medieval Christians attempted to replace January 1 with more religiously significant dates, Pope Gregory XIII created a revised calendar that officially established January 1 as New Year’s Day in 1582.
The song traditionally sung on New Year’s, ‘Auld Lang Syne’, means ‘times gone by’.
Black eyed peas, ham, and cabbage are considered good luck if you eat them on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, because it is believed they will bring you money.
‘Dropping the ball’ to symbolize the passage of time was originally a maritime practice.
The first ‘time ball’ was installed in 1833 above England’s Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
This would drop at 1pm every afternoon as a signal to captains of nearby ships to set their chronometers accurately.
Eating grapes, wearing polka dots, or burning scarecrows might be weird New Year’s Eve traditions to some, but centuries-old customs to others.
As the old year comes to a close, we have a look at some of the most interesting traditions to welcome the new year.
Israel uses the Gregorian calendar but does not formally celebrate New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day on December 31 and January
The Jewish New Year is celebrated during Rosh Hashanah, which occurs in September.
