Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
- Robert Burns, 1759-1796

New Year's Day is one of the oldest holidays known to recorded history. The first known observance of this day was in ancient Babylon over 4000 years ago. It was, at that time, celebrated in March - signifying spring as the new beginning.

Until 46 BC, the Romans also celebrated New Year's in March. In that year Julius Caesar designated New Year's Day as January 1st to make sure the days were back in touch with the changes that the sun went through. After many changes of the Roman calendar, the days were so out of sync with the sun that order had to be restored, thus the January 1st date remained the first day of the New Year on the Roman calendar. The tradition was picked up and continued by Egyptian and Celtic cultures.

The tradition of making resolutions on New Year's Eve began with the ancient Babylonians. This, they felt was an excellent way to begin the New Year with a clear conscious, by returning items borrowed from each other. How the resolution making got from that to "I will lose weight," is anyone's guess - yet, over many centuries, this tradition has remained an important part of the celebration. The most modern version of this tradition seems to be to make resolutions that you can break!

The image of "Father Time" is often used to personify the old year and the "Baby" usually shown with him is to depict the New Year. Father Time is a personification of time. He is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man, dressed in a robe, carrying a scythe and an hourglass or other timekeeping device. Father Time was adapted from Cronus, the father of Zeus, and he belonged to the people known as the Titans in ancient mythology. Cronus existed before the Greek gods far back in the earliest stages of mythology.

The common image of Baby New Year is a mythical figure of a baby wearing nothing more than a diaper, a top hat and a sash across his torso that shows the year he is representing.

J.C. Leyendecker's December 28, 1907 cover of The Saturday Evening Post depicted a stork and Baby New Year. The myth associated with him is that he is a baby at the beginning of his year, but Baby New Year quickly grows up until he is an elderly bearded man like Father Time at the end of his year. At this point, he hands over his duties to the next Baby New Year. This custom of using a Baby to represent the New year began in Greece in 600 BC and is now a popular traditon with many countries.

In America there are many traditions to celebrate the ringing in of the New Year. In Times Square, in New York, the countdown to midnight begins early in the evening. Times Square is the site of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop. On December 31, 1907, a ball signifying New Year's Day was first dropped at Times Square, and the Square has held the main New Year's celebration in New York City ever since. On this night hundreds of thousands of people congregate to watch the crystal ball being lowered on a pole atop the building marking the new year.

People at parties all across America keep an eye on this countdown and when the ball reaches the bottom the New year is rung in. Traditionally a couple will give each other a kiss (first kiss of the New Year to the beloved), but, usually everyone now gives out kisses to all who are near.

Then the song "Auld Lang Syne" is sung by all. The song was written by Robert Burns and published after his death in 1796.In Scotland, the birthplace of Robert Burns, Hogmanay, the rousing Scottish New Year celebration, is an all night street party. The old lore of "First Footers" is still in practice. Shortly after midnight on New Year's eve, neighbors pay visits to each other and impart New Year's wishes. Traditionally, First footers used to bring along a gift of coal for the fire, or shortbread. It is considered especially lucky if a tall, dark, and handsome man is the first to enter your house after the new year is rung in.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
And here's a hand, my trusty friend, and gie's a hand o' thine
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet for auld lang syne.
- Robert Burns, 1759-1796
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