Friday Fun Facts About The New Year

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Once again the beginning of a new year is upon us. A book with blank pages laid out before us to record the good, bad and ugly over the next 365 days.

Here are a few things that lead up to this yearly celebration you might enjoy.

Fun Facts About New Year’s

The ancient Babylonians were the first to celebrate the birth of the New Year nearly 4,000 years ago.
The first people you see on New Year’s Day will either bring you good luck or bad. So it’s a good idea to see friends and avoid those not so friendly toward you.
You might want to lock your car because more vehicles are stolen on New Year’s Day than any other holiday according to statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Las Vegas, Disney World and New York City are the most popular US places to celebrate the New Year. Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia is the number one international spot with more than 80,000 fireworks.
The traditional New York City ball drop started in 1907 after a ban on fireworks.
The original 700-pound ball used 25-watt bulbs and was made of iron and wood.
The current version weighs 11,875 pounds, is twelve feet in diameter and flashes 2,668 Waterford crystal lights.
World War II restrictions prevented the ball from being dropped in 1942 and 1943.
If you’re Italian you might want follow tradition and wear red underwear on New Year’s Day to bring you good luck all year long.
In Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico revelers stuff dolls with memories of the past year and set it on fire to burn away the bad memories.
Many foods are considered good luck on New Years Day. Black-eyed peas, ham and cabbage are thought to bring prosperity.
Lobster and chicken are off the menu because lobsters can swim backwards and chickens can scratch in reverse meaning a reversal of fortune for the coming year. Sorry Red Lobster and Col. Sanders.
The Chinese New Year is celebrated during the second full moon after the winter solstice.
Rosh Hashanah is the traditional Jewish New Year with apples and honey being a favored dish.
The popular song “Auld Lang Syne” translates to “Times Gone By.”
Using a baby to signify the New Year began in ancient Greece around 600 B.C.

Fun Facts courtesy of the Examiner and Patch.

Some Final Thoughts

You can probably guess the most popular New Year’s Resolutions. Losing weight is always at the top of the list followed by a healthier diet, starting an exercise program, stop smoking, stick to a budget, start a savings program, get more organized, find a better job and be a more valuable asset to society.

It’s been a great pleasure writing for you again this year and looking forward to the year ahead.

Best wishes for today and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.