New Year's Day has been celebrated at different times during the year, depending upon the culture and location of people. Such signs of nature as changing seasons, stars, bird migrations, water tides, moons and annual floods were the factors that ancient people used to decide the time of celebration. In the year 4241 BCE in Egypt, for example, the date of the Nile River's flood was July 19 and that was the celebration day. Mesopotamia and the surrounding area held two celebrations, one in the autumn at the end of the summer heat, and a second during the warm, early spring rains at the end of the cold winter. Until Julius Caesar made changes in the calendar, the Romans celebrated in March, the first month of their year. Many years later, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII made further changes in the calendar and confirmed the date of January 1 as New Year's Day.
The Romans named the first month of the year after their god Janus, who was the Keeper of the Doors and Gates. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking back and the other forward, and symbolizing beginnings and endings. He held a scepter as a symbol of power and a key with which to close the door of the old year and open the door of the new. Janus was an important figure and before major undertakings and at the installation of appointed or elected officials, sacrifices and feasts were held honoring him.
The gift-giving custom grew from an early tradition of subjects giving gifts to the Emperor, who in return, granted pardons. Gilded fruit, pomander balls and fresh figs, dates and prunes were exchanged and, in addition to coins with the portrait of Janus on them, were common gifts. The day became one of hardship rather than joy when the Emperor began to demand heavy tribute.
In England, too, the sovereigns developed the practice of receiving tribute from their vassals, whose tenant farmers in turn gave to them. In the early days of that monarchy, these tributes were an important economic factor. By the time of Queen Elizabeth I, however, gifts had become more frivolous and extravagant, involving quantity as well as quality. Fine leather gloves, decorative pomander balls, gilded nutmegs, bonbons and fancy cakes were popular gifts. The original dressing pins had been carved from bone or wood, but at this time were made from metal and were extremely ornamental. The money spent on these luxuries came to be known as "pin money."
Another widespread New Year's Day custom is that of "wiping the slate clean." Especially important to the Chinese and Jewish celebrations are the traditions of examining relationships with one's companions and family, forgiving and asking forgiveness, beginning the year with a fresh and good experience. New clothes have also been part of the tradition in many cultures-they symbolize the beginning of a new phase of life.
Food has been no less a part of the New Year celebrations than of any other festivity. In the southeastern United States, basic foods of the feast are black-eyed peas, symbolizing pennies, and greens, symbolizing dollars, in the hope that those will be plentiful in the New Year. The Pennsylvania Dutch include sauerkraut in the menu to assure having money in the coming year.
New Year's Eve celebrations have been, and still are, popular and varied. Some religious groups met for silent vigils during the last hours of a year and on the stroke of midnight broke into joyous hymn singing. Many churches today have midnight services, often followed by hot coffee or cider and a snack. Early Christians sounded bells at midnight to represent the battle between good and evil and the ultimate victory of good. Our noisemakers of today, available at nearly every party, may have come from a Norse tradition-horns, shouts, drums and cymbals were used to banish evil spirits as well as to welcome the new year.
In Norway and Sweden, friends met in each other's homes to await the New Year and exchange affectionate greetings to reaffirm friendship for the next twelve months. The Dutch celebrated with boisterous parties, and with much wine and beer and joviality. These customs led to the "open house" on New Year's afternoon, when people visited freely and enjoyed tasty delicacies. In New York City the day was called "Gentleman's Day" as the men were able to make brief and friendly visits with their female acquaintances without previous invitation. The Open Houses soon gave way to invitational visits, however, as many guests took advantage of the sumptuous array of food and drink!
A relatively new custom for the new year is that of making resolutions, though this is not far different from the traditions of starting the year with a fresh outlook, differences settled, and nothing but good spirits in the home. The basis for resolutions is to make the New Year better and to enter a new life phase.

New Year's Day Celebration
Here are some ideas for a New Year's Day party with friends and family.

Janis Pins
Janus pins, decorated with the Roman New Year god's portrait, may be made at the party, each person decorating a pin, or made in advance and given to friends as favors or gifts on the holiday.
Materials: Clean, wide-mouthed tin can or plastic dish, measuring cups.
Plaster of paris, water, wax paper, tempera paint and brushes or thin markers
fine sandpaper or emery board, newspaper
glue, pencil, shellac and solvent, small safety pins
Procedure:
1. Protect work area by covering with newspapers. Pour 1/2 cup water into tin can or dish. Slowly sprinkle about 3/4 cups plaster of paris on top of the water, mixing with your hands. Squish plaster and water together; continuing to add plaster until mixture is as thick as soft ice cream.
2. Spread wax paper. Drop about a tablespoon of plaster onto wax paper. Shape in round, oval, or irregular forms, about 1 1/2" to 2" across. Smooth peak as much as possible with finger. You'll have enough plaster for about 20 shapes.
3. Let sit until hard, at least 40 minutes.
4. Before plaster hardens completely, plant open pin firmly toward top of shape. Rough or uneven edges may be removed with the emery board or sandpaper if desired.
5. With pencil, sketch design lightly on front of the plaster shape. Paint or color design with markers. Wait to dry completely.
6. Shellac painted front and sides. Set on wax paper to dry (about 15 minutes). When dry, turn piece over and shellac back and dry.

Janus Box
Materials: Shoe box or other box with cover (large enough to hold cards and to reach into)
Colored paper, scissors, glue, crayons or markers
Procedure:
1. Make a Janus symbol, including the scepter and key, for the top of the box. Make sure to note which direction each face is headed so that the symbols on the side of the box will match (facing either left or right).
2. Cover the sides of the box with colored paper, wrapping paper, or paper cut from grocery bags. Designs may depict events of the past year and expectations of the year ahead.
3. Mark a square on each of the two small ends of the box, cut through only three of the four sides of the marked square so that "doors" are made, each large enough for cards to be put in or taken out. Label the doors with the year date, or the proper Janus face (right facing face for the incoming year, left facing face for the year just past).
4. Make enough cards for each person attending your party. Decorate one side with a right-facing Janus face and the words "Next year..." and the other side with a left-facing Janus face and the words "Last year...".

Activities
The Janus Box
As friends and family gather, invite each person to jot down on a Janus card one thing that was good in the past year, using the side of the card with the half of the Janus symbol facing toward the left. Then on the other side of the card, the one with the Janus symbol facing right, jot down a wish, a hope or a new plan for the coming year. These may be kept anonymous. All cards are put into the Janus box through the "back" door, and when all that wish have done so, the box becomes the centerpiece for the table.

If just the family is present, members might express the nicest thing the families did during the past year and make a suggestion for something the family can do during the New Year. You could also tell the most important thing learned during the past year and something that would be desirable to learn in the New Year.

Games
If young children are present, several games that great-grandparents played, or games played long ago would be fun. This will take a bit of research, but children's libraries have game books available. A game played today by children, led by the children present, will top off the game time.

Fantasy
Make available an assortment of paper, crayons, markers etc. for each person to create an exhibit of his or her "future fantasy" for the community, or style of home, school or transportation. Use your imagination!

Food
Plan a meal or snacks ahead of time. If friends are invited, ask each family to share some traditional family recipe, preferably something that can be eaten with little fuss. Or, if this is a family celebration, prepare one dish that is a family tradition, such as one from a grandparent. It is important to acknowledge the good things from the past, and food can certainly be one of them!
The Janus Box Opened
After the meal, outside or inside, on a cool breezy porch or in front of a fireplace, it is time to open the Janus box-by the "front door," of course! Shake the box so the cards are scrambled, then, one at a time, those present each remove a card, read the past event and the future hope. The reader has the first chance to guess the author. When the author has been discovered, he or she might like to tell a little more about the event or the hope-lively discussion and many new insights can follow. When the box is empty, give each person a Janus pin to wear home (or decorate the pins you have made). One of these pins, tucked into the mirror frame or on the bulletin board will be a reminder that each day may be the first of a New Year.

To End the Sharing Time
(This may be written out on place cards and read in unison.)
"The hopes and dreams we have shared are many. The love and understanding of our family and friends will help us each take the first tentative step toward our goals. We may reach out and hold a hand to give and receive support, knowing that each tiny step is achievement, to be honored and cheered. HAPPY NEW YEAR."

Wassail
The old custom of the Wassail bowl often became a fortune-telling occasion. In England, the posset pot (as the wassail bowl was called in some countries) contained a ring. Each unmarried guest at the party tried to catch the ring in the ladle as he or she filled the punch cup. Success meant marriage within the year.
A wassail bowl in which there is fruit floating is an interesting variation. Guests ladle their own punch and learn the prospects for the coming year-a red cherry signifies wealth, a green one happiness, an orange slice, a surprise, and a lemon slice, something unpleasant. Of course, fortunes may change with the second cup of punch!

CLF Home
Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF), 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2823
Phone: (617) 948-6166 · Fax: (617) 523-4123 · Email: clf@uua.org

Address of this page: http://www.uua.org/clf/connections/winter/NewYear.html
Last updated May 24, 2002 by clf@uua.org