Welcome to 2020. This
has become a traditional time of celebration.
We party on New Year's Eve and celebrate the moment the clock strikes
midnight signaling the beginning of a new year.
And, of course, when the year 2000 arrived we celebrated for
twenty-four hours as each time zone around the world welcomed the new
millennium on live television broadcasts.
But why and how did the New Year's celebrations become part
of our annual routine? The earliest
recorded account of a celebration in honor of the new year dates back four
thousand years to ancient Babylon. For
the Babylonians, the first new moon following the vernal (spring) equinox
announced the arrival of the new year.
They celebrated this spring time event with a massive eleven day
religious festival called Akitu. It was
during this time that a new king was crowned or the current ruler's mandate
renewed.
Throughout antiquity, civilizations around the world
developed more sophisticated calendars with the first day of the year
associated with an agricultural or astronomical event. For example, in Egypt the year began with the
annual flooding of the Nile which coincided with the rising of the star
Sirius. In China, the new year occurred
with the second new moon after the winter solstice…a day they still celebrate.
The early Roman calendar had 10 months and 304 days with
each new year beginning at the vernal equinox.
Tradition holds that it was created by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in
the eighth century B.C. Numa Pompilius,
a later king, is credited with adding the months of Januarius and Februarius. Over the ensuing centuries, the Roman
calendar grew out of sync with the sun.
In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar which closely
resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar used today by most countries.
As part of his reform, Julius Caesar declared January 1 as
the first day of the year and Romans celebrated by exchanging gifts, decorating
their homes, and attending raucous parties.
In medieval Europe, Christian leaders temporarily replaced January 1 as
the first day of the year with days carrying more religious significance, such
as December 25 as the anniversary of Christ's birth and March 25 as the Feast
of the Annunciation. It was Pope Gregory
XIII in 1582 who re-established January 1 as New Year's Day.
In many countries, New Year's celebrations begin on New
Year's Eve and continue into the early hours of January 1st. These celebrations often include specific
foods that are said to bring good luck for the coming year—grapes in Spain,
round fruits in the Philippines, suckling pig in Austria, soba noodles in
Japan, rice pudding in Norway, and black-eyed peas in the southern United
States. Other customs that are common
worldwide include making new year resolutions (a practice started by the
Babylonians) and watching fireworks displays.
In the United States, the most famous New Year's tradition
is the dropping of the giant ball in New York City's Times Square. This event, first instituted in 1906, occurs
at the stroke of midnight. The original
giant ball was made of iron and wood weighing 400 pounds. A total of 7 versions of the Ball have been
designed over the more than a century since the first drop of the ball
occurred.
Today's giant ball is a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in
diameter and weighing nearly 12,000 pounds.
Each year, the 2688 intricate Waterford crystals that make up the skin
of the huge orb are replaced with new ones.
This year, 192 Waterford Crystal triangles introduce the new Gift of Goodwill
design of three pineapples signifying the traditional image of hospitality and
goodwill. 192 are the Gift of Harmony design of small rosette cuts flowing into
each other in beautiful harmony. 192 are the Gift of Serenity design of
butterflies flying peacefully above a crystal meadow capturing the spirit of
serenity. 192 are the Gift of Kindness design consisting of a circle of
rosettes symbolizing unity with the fronds reaching out in an expression of
kindness. 192 are the Gift of Wonder design composed by a faceted starburst
inspiring our sense of wonder. 192 are the Gift of Fortitude design of diamond
cuts on either side of a crystal pillar to represent the finer attributes of
resolve, courage, and spirit necessary to triumph over adversity. The remaining
triangles are the Gift of Imagination design with a series of intricate wedge
cuts that are mirrored reflections of each other inspiring our imagination.
The 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles are bolted to 672 LED
modules which are attached to the aluminum frame of the ball. The ball is capable of displaying a palette
of more than 16 million colors and billions of patterns that create a
spectacular kaleidoscope effect as the ball drops down a flagpole at the stroke
of midnight Eastern Standard Time. In addition to the New Year's Ball drop in
New York City, the numerals introducing the new year come to life high above
Times Square. The giant "2-0-2-0" stands seven feet high.
So, however you celebrate the arrival of the new
year…whether you go out to a party, have family or a few friends to your home,
or simply curl up by a cozy fire and watch the festivities in Times Square…I
wish everyone a happy and healthy 2020.
