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January, month of new beginnings
January, like February, was introduced into the Roman calendar by a legendary king of Rome, Numa Pompilius (c. 715 - 673 BCE), who named it in honour of Janus, the god of doors and openings (Latin janus, a door).
Janus is represented in Roman art as a man with two faces, one looking backwards and one forwards, implying that he stood between the old and the new year, holding both in regard.
The ancient Jewish New Year, which began on March 25, continued for a long time to have a legal standing in Christian countries. In England, it was not until 1752 that in legal, as in popular circles, January 1 became New Year.
Janus is the male equivalent of one of the versions of the goddess Juno-Janus, who, in her two-faced aspects of Antevorta and Postvorta, looks simultaneously forwards and backwards, as Janus does.
In modern Asatru, January is called Snowmoon.
In American backwoods tradition, the January full moon is called Wolf Moon.
In the Celtic calendar, the first 20 days of January are in the month of Beth, the birch tree, representing beginnings and purification, white being the emblematic colour. This month is dedicated to the Mother Goddess. From January 21 is Luis, the rowan, dedicated to Morrigan and with grey as its emblematic hue.
In the thirteen-month goddess calendar of Lux Madriana, the month of Hestia continues till January 22, followed by the month of Bridhe.
Juvenalia, ancient Rome
In 59 CE, the notorious Roman emperor, Nero, instituted the Juvenalia festival, originally on December 24. It commemorated, of all things, the first shaving of his beard at the age of 21, symbolising his transition from youth to manhood. The Juvenalia was a theatrical festival which was turned by succeeding emperors into a spectacle of chariot races and fights between wild beasts, celebrated on January 1.
Kalends of January, or the Gamelia, ancient Rome.
The Romans celebrated their New Year in March; today was dedicated to the Three Fates, called by them the Parcae. The ancient poet Homer personified these three daughters of Night thus: Clotho, the spinner, spins the thread of life; Lachesis is pure chance and luck; and Atropos is our inescapable fate.
Happy New Year!
New Year's Day is a holiday in 162 nations of the world. In Britain there is an old custom that you should take nothing out of the house today, not even garbage.
Take out, then take in
Bad luck will begin
Take in, then take out
Good luck comes about
If you must carry something out, make sure to bring something in first. The best thing is a coin which you have hidden outside on New Year's Eve.
An old British tradition has it that you should not lend matches, or fuel, to anyone today, or you'll lack fire all year. And don't lend money to anyone, or you'll be without it this year.
Welsh Callenig
The Welsh give a Calennig today. It's a New Year's apple, stuck with wheat, oats, nuts and evergreen leaves. Its covered in flour and gold paint or leaf, and stands on a tripod of rowan or holly skewers for luck. These woods are ancient Druidic magic charms, as is the apple itself.
Yulekebbuck
The Scots at New Year traditionally eat Yulekebbuck, or Christmas cheese. The first Monday in January is their public holiday, which they call Handsel Monday.
Pocket full of money
In Scotland, Wales and the border counties of England, an old tradition is for children to go singing door to door on New Year's morning, for which they will be rewarded with coins, sweets, fruit or mince pies. A typical song goes:
I wish you a merry Christmas
A Happy New Year.
A pocket full of money
And a cellar full of beer.
A good fat pig
To last you all the year.
Please to give a New Year's gift
For this New Year.The god Janus guides the revolution of time. Adapted from a frontispiece and verse explanation in Heath, James, A Brief Chronicle, Folger Shakespeare Library, 2nd ed. (1663).
In Roman Mythology, Janus was the god of gates, doors (ianua), beginnings, endings and doorways. The month of January was named for him. He was usually depicted as Janus Geminus (twin Janus) or Bifrons, with two faces looking in opposite directions. In some places he was Janus Quadrifrons (the four-faced). He was associated with Etruscan Ani.
Wikipedia tells us that Janus was worshipped at the beginnings of the harvest and planting times, as well as marriages, births and other beginning. He was representative of the middle ground between barbarity and civilization, rural country and urban cities and youth and adulthood.
He supposedly came from Thessaly in Greece and shared a kingdom with Camese in Latium. They had many children, including Tiberinus. Janus and his later wife, Juturna, were the parents of Fontus. He had another wife name Jana.
Symbolism appropriate to the Almanac.
Janus is the god of change and transitions such as the progression of past to future, of one condition to another, of one vision to another, and of one universe to another.
Early Christian New Year
The early Christians were known to run about in masquerade on New Year's Day, making fun of the prevailing pagan customs.
New Year in antiquity
Today was sacred to the Greek divine couple, Hera and Zeus, who equate with Rome's Juno and Jupiter. On their New Year's Day the Romans made offerings to the goddess Fortuna, for a year to benefit everyone.
Noisy New Year!
Many parts of the world see in the New Year with noise. Often church bells are rung to bring in this special day. Originally, the noises were to drive away evil spirits that might darken the coming year. Bonfires were once lit for the same purpose, as well as the urge warm weather back to earth.
First New Year visitor
There is an old British superstition that said the household would have a year's bad luck if the first visitor had fair hair, flat feet or eyebrows that met in the middle, or if the person carried a knife.
Danish New Year!
The Danish people like to see the New Year in with noise. Children collect broken pottery all year and throw it today against the sides of peoples' houses, and bang on their doors. And we thought we had it noisy here!
Handsel Monday
The Scottish celebrate the first Monday of the year as their New Year holiday, calling it Handsel Monday.
Roman New Year!
The ancient Romans exchanged presents at New Year, which of course was not at the same time as today's celebrations, because of calendar changes over the centuries.
New Year's gifts
In some countries, such as France and Scotland, gifts at New Year are as important as Christmas presents in many other countries.
Persian New Year
In old Persia, now Iran, people used to exchange eggs at New Year, as we do at Easter, to suggest new life.
Pin money
An old English custom at New Year was for men to give their wives money to buy pins, which once were quite expensive. The expression pin money, meaning household expense money, comes from this practice.
St Basil's cakes
In Greece, many people bake a vasilopitta, a nut and lemon cake named after St Basil, who died on this day in 379 CE. The cake contains a coin; to find it in one's slice guarantees a year of good luck.
First-footing
In Scotland and the north of England, people go first-footing soon after midnight on New Year's Day. This involves visiting the homes of friends, having a drink and a bite to eat, and then moving on to the next home. The Scots call the New Year's celebration Hogmanay.
Lucky bird!
When Scots and northern English people welcome a first-footer (the first person into their home after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day), they hope it is a fair-haired man, who they sometimes also call a lucky bird.
Lucky first-footer!
When Scots and northern English people welcome a first-footer (the first person into their home after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day), they hope it is a fair-haired man, for this will bring good luck. But if he has splayed feet, flat feet, an eyebrow that meets in the middle, or a blind eye, or is carrying a knife, it is considered bad luck for the householders that year!
Coal, bread and whisky
When Scots and northern English people welcome a first-footer (the first person into their home after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day), they hope it is a fair-haired man and that he will be carrying a lump of coal for the fire, a loaf for the table and whisky for the man or men of the house.
Whisky (spelt whiskey by the Irish and Americans) comes from the Gaelic word uisgebeatha, or water of life.
Sneaking a keek
In old Scotland some of the family elders would keek - Scotch for peep - to see the first footer (or first man across the threshold in the New Year) arriving.
A Scottish New Year song
A guid New Year to yin an' a',
An' mony may ye see.
An' durin' a' the years to come,
Oh, happy may ye be!
Lucky first-footer!
When Scots and northern English people welcome a first-footer (the first person into their home after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day), they hope it is a fair-haired man for luck. He must enter by the front door and leave by the back, symbolising the old and new years.
Guising
The people of Yorkshire and northern England have among their many old customs the tradition of guising on New Year's Eve. Guising is a centuries-old practice of going from door to door singing songs - trick or treating at Halloween derives from guising.
Welsh New Year
The Welsh open the back door before midnight on New Year's Eve to let the Old Year out, then they lock it. At the last stroke of midnight on the clock they open the front door to welcome the New Year.
Polish New Year
Polish tradition is for vagabond players to put on street pantomimes on New Year's Day. Gypsies, too, are on the streets, fortune telling.
Crappy noodles
A century ago the Sicilians on New Year's Day ate lascagne cacate, or "crappy noodles", a kind of lasagne. To eat any other sort of pasta today was considered bad luck. Their saying went "Whoever eats macaroni today will have a bad year".
Grapes at midnight
People of Madrid, Spain, have an interesting old New Year's custom: at the stroke of midnight each person eats twelve grapes. The cinemas will even stop running a movie at midnight to allow the patrons to eat their grapes.
The nightwatch bell
As in many parts of the world, in Japan the New Year is brought in with noise. Here, temple bells sound, ringing out the old year. Then the joyano-kane, or nightwatch bell, rings in the new with precisely 108 chimes. This, according to Buddhist tradition, helps free mankind from the 108 "earthly desires".
Bells, bells, bells
A good idea has swift feet - the chiming of bells rings in the New Year in Japan and England as well as in Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia and Romania.
Kwam Suk Pee Mai!
As in many parts of the world, in Thailand the New Year is brought in with the tolling of bells - temple bells. People say Kwam Suk Pee Mai!, meaning Happy New Year!
Today Thai children will exchange presents with family and friends, and the general populace will present Buddhist monks a thanks offering of rice and other food.
Happy Ta'u Fo'ou!
That's New Year in Tonga! Today Tongan boys and girls will go in groups from door to door serenading the populace. Some will make a joyful noise on harmonicas, guitars, drums and ukuleles, making up hymns and songs for the occasion. Like trick or treaters, they will receive goodies for their efforts.
The hungry dead of Trinidad
Just as at Christmas and Easter, the people of Trinidad are known sometimes to "feed" the dead at New Year. Food, drink and even tobacco are left on a table for the deceased. We have no information about whether it is ever taken.
Grandfather Frost
The Russians don't have Santa Claus, even though Saint Nicholas is patron of Moscow. They have Grandfather Frost (D'yed Moroz) at New Year, with his comely and daintily named assistant, Snegourka the Snow Maiden. They bring presents to children on this day.
New Year trees
The Russian have New Year trees instead of Christmas trees, with more than 50,000 decorated trees erected in Moscow public places and 700,000 in private homes of Muscovites.
Deda Mraz
At New Year the Russians have D'yed Moroz (Grandfather Frost) who looks like Santa Claus, and the people of the former Yugoslavia have their Deda Mraz. Like Santa, he brings presents to the children. He arrives a week before Christmas and asks what gifts they would like, delivering them on January 1.
New Year's party
In the former Yugoslavia on New Year's Day the people light the candles on their New Year's tree and open their gifts. The day is traditionally one big party with music, fine food and dancing.
Got new clothes on?
Many Londoners believe that on New Year's Day it is unlucky not to wear new clothes. Haitians also go out in new clothes, or at least in their very best, as an omen of how their year will go.
Paraguay's baby
Families in Paraguay today will rearrange the little figurines in their nativity scenes and address the baby Jesus as Niño del Año Nuevo - Baby of the New Year. Before he was Niño de la Navidad - Baby of the Nativity.
Glöggy New Year!
In Sweden on this day, many people will go to church and to smorgasbords, where they will drink a glass of spicy glögg.
German New Year
New Year's Day in Germany is dedicated to St Bertha, or Perchta.
Happy Oshogatsu
Japan's Oshogatsu festival today is held for the Household Gods.
Tickle the cow
In medieval England they celebrated this auspicious day with cow tickling. A flatcake was put on a cow's horns in this unique ritual.
Hog and hominy
In parts of the deep South of the USA, a traditional pork-and-maize meal is eaten today. It goes by the name of hog and hominy, and is eaten for good luck. The word hominy (corn porridge) is not related to Hogmanay, Scottish New Year.
New Year's Day
Today has not always been New Year's Day. The Romans had theirs in March. Since the Christian era began, the first day of the year has been variously Christmas Day, Lady Day (March 25), March 1 and Easter Day. In the 17th century most Christian countries settled on January 1. England, however, did not do so until 1752, giving up March 25 as New Year's Day.
Celtic Janus
In the Caldragh Graveyard on Boa Island, in County Fermanaugh (Northern Ireland) there is an ancient 'Janus Figure', a pre-christian idol. The same figure is carved into both sides of the stone, and has been compared to Roman idols of Janus (hence, the name).
New Year's Day
The ancient Slavic peoples and the Romans began their year in March, which makes a lot of sense seeing in the Northern Hemisphere that is the time of rebirth, the Spring Equinox. According to Jacob Grimm, he of the fairy tales, the Slavs and German peoples divided the year into two seasons: Winter and Summer.
Give a fig
The ancient Romans gave figs and dates, covered with gold leaf, at New Year. They were sent by clients to their patrons, along with a little cash with which to purchase idols. Archaeologists have found pottery which has Happy New Year inscribed on it. The Emperor Claudius, however, banned New Year's celebrations.
A sweet gift
An orange stuck all over with cloves was a popular New Year's gift in Merrie Olde England. It was to be hung in a container of wine, though not touching the liquid, to improve the fruit's flavour and preserve it from mould.
Mainz New Year
In Mainz, Germany, an ancient tradition is the Fassenacht, or Carnival, which begins on January 1 with a procession of the Mainz Guards. The President of the festivities carries a sceptre and bell, and all his committee sit at table wearing fools' caps. A satirical speech in a falsetto voice is given by a man in drag. This strange Comité parades in a March of Fools (Narrhalla Marsch).
Lucky pigs!
In Austria at New Year you might expect to eat roast suckling pig with a dessert of peppermint ice cream shaped like a four-leaved clover. Piglets, clovers and little chimney sweeps, all of marzipan and chocolate, are good luck symbols that traditionally adorn the Austrian table.
Belgian letters
In an old custom, children in Belgium wrote respectful letters to their family elders during the month of December, reading them out at breakfast on New Year's Day.
Looking ahead
In an old English custom, people would take the first egg from a young hen to church on New Year's Day. Those who were destined to die in the coming year would be revealed to the asker, wearing a crown of thorns.
Happy Ndok!
In Nigeria there was formerly a men's ritual festival held every other year in December and January, called Ndok. Because of its associations with renewal, not to mention the Coca-Colonization of Africa, gradually Ndok became identified with the West's New Year celebrations. A masquerade, this cult involved the sacrifice of a rooster and the making of much noise.
Crossroads traffic
The old Icelanders believed that on New Year's Eve elves moved house and could be intercepted at crossroads by mortals. If not allowed to pass, the elves would bribe the humans with treasure or food. Nigerian members of the Ndok cult similarly believed that spirits could be found at crossroads on New Year's Eve, and gathered there to confront them.
Batty New Year
When Nigerian men engage in the Ndok, or New Year's ceremony, they play low, droning sounds on a pipe covered at one end with the wing membrane of a bat. Women may only listen at a distance.
Ndok sacrifice
When Nigerian men engage in the Ndok, or New Year's ceremony, they sacrifice to their dead loved ones a rooster, the blood of which is sprinkled around a small tent erected on the grave of the departed. Later, they eat the bird.
Strenae
Both the ancient Greeks and the Romans gave New Year's gifts, the latter calling them strenae. Tatius, King of the Sabines, was given, one New Year's Day, some branches cut from a forest sacred to the goddess Strenia (strength) - hence the name. Her name was applied to this holiday when the Romans decorated with palm, bay and laurel branches, hung with sweets, dates, figs and gilded fruit. From that word the French derive their word étrenne, a New Year's gift. In Sicily, groups of carollers go about singing La Strenna, wishing householders Happy New Year and asking for treats. If refused, the offender is cursed with a threatening verse.
January and New Years Day
Lore & Customs
Every man regards his own life as the New Year's Eve of time.
~Jean Paul Richter
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If you don't have your house in apple pie order (good order) on New Year's Day, the fairies will bring you bad luck.
