New Years Celebrations... One More Year!
Remember: New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions. - Mark Twain
New Years; Time For New Beginnings
New Years Celebrations
The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, Babylonians celebrated the beginning of a new year on what is now March 23, although they themselves had no written calendar.
Late March actually is a logical choice for the beginning of a new year. It is the time of year that spring begins and new crops are planted. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.
The Babylonian new year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison.
The Romans continued to observe the new year on March 25, but their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors so that the calendar soon became out of synchronization with the sun.
In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the new year. But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what has come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January 1 as the new year. But in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days.
Although in the first centuries AD the Romans continued celebrating the new year, the early Catholic Church condemned the festivities as paganism. But as Christianity became more widespread, the early church began having its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations, and New Year's Day was no different. New Years is still observed as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some denominations.
During the Middle Ages, the Church remained opposed to celebrating New Years. January 1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years
Things To Think About
Mother Superior called all the Nuns together one evening and said to them: "I must tell you all something. We have a case of Gonorrhea in the convent."
"Thank God," said an elderly Nun at the back. "I'm so sick of Chardonnay."
New Years Eve 2021 finds us at the Santa Ana Elks
The Progression Of Life
Paul is somewhere between beer and bags!
Countdown to the current New Year
Year |
New Years Eve | Floats |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed home alone | Yes |
Back surgery recovery | |
| Santa Ana Elks | Yes |
Great fun with dear friends. | |
| Stayed home with Porter's | Yes |
Saw "The Boyfriend" at OCPAC | |
| Stayed home with Porter's | Yes |
At at Fiorito's for dinner | |
| Long Beach Mariott w/ Tracy Wells | Yes |
First time with Tracy Wells at the Long Beach Marriott | |
| Long Beach Mariott w/ Tracy Wells | Yes |
Thai-Italian Restaurant and then Tracy Wells at the Long Beach Marriott | |
| Long Beach Mariott w/ Tracy Wells | Yes |
New Years Eve with Tracy Wells at the Long Beach Marriott .New Years Day dinner at Jeanetted house | |
| Santa Ana Elks Lodge | Yes |
At at home with Porter's on New Years Day... Then to Disneyland | |
| Santa Ana Elks Lodge | Yes |
Played golf at Old Ranch 1/1/2011 | |
| Santa Ana Elks Lodge | Yes |
Yucatan Grill for a Mexican lunch | |
| Long Beach Mariott w/ Tracy Wells | Yes |
Took pictures at the Schulte wedding. Tracy Wells at the Long Beach Marriott | |
| Long Beach Mariott w/ Tracy Wells | Yes |
Tracy Wells at the Long Beach Marriott | |
| Long Beach Mariott w/ Tracy Wells | Yes |
Tracy Wells at the Long Beach Marriott | |
| Long Beach Mariott w/ Tracy Wells | Yes |
Tracy Wells at the Long Beach Marriott | |
| 2017 | Santa Ana Elks Lodge | Yes | Tracy retired but we have Nine Carat Gold at Old Ranch. |
| 2018 | Old Ranch Country Club | Yes | First time at Old Ramch as private party with 9 Carat Golf |
| 2019 | Old Ranch Country Club | Yes | Year two at the ranch with 106 people |
| 2020 | Patty's Place (COVID) | No | This was a difficult New Years as Sue passed in February and I was still devistated. Dr. Mary joined the Zaits and I at PAtty's Place for a quiet celebration. |
| 2021 | Staying Home | No | COVID is going strong but we decided to stay home. I stayed at Mary's and we went into the Swim Spa late intoi the evening. She is becoming a very important part of my life! |
| 2022 | Santa Ana Elks Lodge | No | COVID is going strong but we decided to throw caution to the wind and celebrate. Mary and I are now one as of July 28th and she lite up my life. Sue would be happy and my family is estatic. |