The Tales of New Year

Before, the beginning of the year was celebrated in March. The beginning of the spring, the end of winter and the new day for resolution. It is the oldest tradition, it was happened in ancient Babylon as far as 4000 years ago, celebrated in some manner and now falls on 1st January. According to Roman calendar, 1st January designed by Julius Caesar to make sure the days were back in touch with the changes that the sun went through. However, even the days were out of sync with the sun, the date remained as the day of New Year in Roman calendar, until now.

Alarm chrono: "That's me, yea"

New Year is associated with happiness, the beginning, new wishes and readiness to get through the whole year. Some cultures believed that the old year symbolized the 'Father' and the new year is the  'Baby'. The ancient Roman is used to personify the 'Father' as Cronos, father of Zeus--the origin of alarm chrono,  if you know what I mean >>>

In every New Year, the new resolution of the undone matters is become of the tradition all over the world, which can be traced back to the ancient Babylonians. Now, instead of making resolution, new year parties become more important across America and believed that kissing in the midnight gives them more love, warmth and affection for a whole year. It is said that if they failed to do it, the relationship will be cold and dark for 365 or 366 days. Actually, there's more...

Before begin the new year, the lore said that:

1. You must paid the bills and unsettled debts. It is time to bury the forgone and begin fresh. How about house or car payment? I guess a lot of people withered for many years.
2. Begin afresh with brand new clothes- to give a positive mind and charms to begin the first day of New Year. Well, everyone like the smell of new clothes.
3. Make loud noises, to chase the evil spirit so they won't harm you. So that's why Americans loved new year parties.
4. Don't break anything, including your bones. That's the omen, a bad sign for you to get through the year. 
5. The first visitor must be a great person. It is said that the influence, luck and chances of the person indicates what kind of year will you have. So, say 'no' to beggars?
6. Have babies in 1st January. It is said that new babies in New Year gives luck and prosperity on their side. I guess new parents should work hard 9 months earlier before the 1st January.
7. Don't pay debts on 1st January. It is believed that once you let your money out on 1st January, your money will flow non-stop for a full year. So my advice, pay debts on second day ~
8. Return everything that you had borrowed from anyone. Or else, trouble will follow you--which means, 'they' will follow you.
9. In various South American, wearing a yellow underwear means good luck while Mexican girls have to wear red underwear in order to seek true love. Oh my, colours are really important there.
10. The Spanish rituals said that eating twelve grapes brought them twelve months of happiness. No grapes in the fridge, how about durian?

And, the other facts of New Year said that:

1. January name came from Janus, the two-face god of Roman. Janus means door.
2. January is the coldest month and day of the year.
3. Christianity said that New Year is the incarnation of Jesus (in March 25).
4. Pope Gregory XIII (1582) made plans to converted Jews to Christian and forced them to believed 1st January is the New Year's day. It becomes the day of torture and death for Jews.
5. Some culture believed that the New Year should begin in April.
6. 1st January took a very long time to accept by many countries as the universal day of New Year. Thailand was the last one in the list--adopting the date in 1941.
7. April Fool (1st April) was used to be the date of New Year. This prank day was born when some people refused to accept 1st January as the new date.
8. Spring fever was the main cause why new Year was being celebrated in April.
9. 1st January was revived as New Year in 1582 by the Gregorian calendar and celebrated by the most of the countries.
10. Aud Lang Syne which means 'the old days' composed by Robert Burns is the midnight toast of New Year.
11. The old Saxon believed that those who born on 2nd January is unfortunate, they could expect to die in unpleasant death. Scary?

So, New Year is getting near. What's your resolution?

References:
http://weirdfacts.com/weird-fact/holiday-facts/3192-new-year-facts.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aprilfools1.html
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art21990.asp
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/new-year/superstitions.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year
http://projectbritain.com/year/january.htm