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Without question, January 1, 2000, is the beginning of a new millennium, the one that counts off years from a numerical perspective. Since we base our math and counting on the ten fingers that come as standard equipment on human beings, the year 2000 does represent one of those convenient times when a year ends in all zeros (unless you are a computer programmer and count in binary or hexadecimal). And for the same reason people will drive around the block 11 times to watch the odometer in their car roll over to 100,000, there will be much hoopla and partying at midnight beginning January 1, 2000.
However, January 1, 2000 isn't the beginning of the new millennium. As you probably know, the world has many systems of calendars and ways of marking time. The one that brings us to the year 2000 was created by a monk named Dionysius Exiguus (literally translated Dennis the Short) back in the sixth century. After much study, he determined that time should be marked by the birth of Jesus, and as a result of his studies, set that time in the year we know as 1AD. However, in his plan, time counted backwards before the birth of Jesus down to the year 1BC, and then immediately shifted to the year 1AD - with no year 0 in between. By Setting the date as he did, Dionysius also started the first Millennium at the beginning of the year 1AD. So, the Second Millennium began at the start of year 1001AD, and the upcoming Third Millennium will start at the beginning of year 2001AD. And that little known fact is why we should be counting down to 2001AD.
Beyond the issues of the calendar, however, the Universe will just keep on its merry way, oblivious to our concerns over when the calendar changes, and if computers will still work in the year 2000. As for the world of Astrology, it's known that at 12:01AM, January 1, 2000, the Sun will be 10 degrees Capricorn, the Moon will be in Scorpio, Mercury will be direct and in Capricorn, and the rest of the planets will be following their paths as they always have, regardless of what our earthly calendars may say.
If we are looking forward to the 3rd Millennium, one wonders how our forebearers celebrated the millennial change in the year 1000AD. Actually, ther was little to celebrate in Europe a thousand years ago. It was the middle of the Dark Ages, and most people weren't in a party mood. Besides, they didn't use Arabic numerals as we do. So, to them, they were merely observing the year "M". It just doesn't ring the same.
Some people are worried about the beginning of a new millennium. There are those obligatory tales of doom and apocolypse. But there need not be any undue concern. After all, there is nothing natural about ourcalendar. The calendar, including the numeration of years, is all man-made, and it will only be a new millennium to those who use the Gregorian calendar. |
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In ancient Egypt, New Year was celebrated at the time the River Nile flooded, which was near the end of September. The flooding of the Nile was very important because without it, the people would not have been able to grow crops in the dry desert. At New Year, statues of the god, Amon and his wife and son were taken up the Nile by boat. Singing, dancing and feasting was done for a month, and then the statues were taken back to the temple.
Babylonia lay in what is now the country of Iraq. Their New Year was in the Spring. During the festival, the king was stripped of his clothes and sent away, and for a few days everyone could do just what they liked. Then the king returned in a grand procession, dressed in fine robes. Everyone had to return to work and behave properly. Thus, each New Year, the people made a new start to their lives.
For a long time the Romans celebrated New Year on the first of March. Then, in 46BC, the Emperor Julius Caesar began a new calendar. It was the calendar that we still use today, and thus the New Year date was changed to the first day of January.
January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was always shown as having two heads. He looked back to the last year and forward to the new one.
The Roman New Year festival was called the 'Calends', and people decorated their homes and gave each other gifts. Slaves and their masters ate and drank together, and people could do what they wanted to for a few days.
The Celts were the people who lived in Gaul, now called France, and parts of Britain before the Romans arrived there. Their New Year festival was called 'Samhain'. It took place at the end of October, and 'Samhain' means 'summer's end'.
At Samhain, the Celts gathered mistletoe to keep ghosts away, because they believed this was the time when the ghosts of the dead returned to haunt the living.
In Europe, New Year was often a time for superstition and fortune telling, and in some parts of Switzerland and Austria, people dress up to celebrate St. Sylvester's Eve.
In 314AD, there was a Pope called St. Sylvester, and people believed that he captured a terrible sea monster. It was thought that in the year 1000, this sea monster would escape and destroy the world, but since it didn't happen, the people were delighted. Since then, in parts of Austria and Switzerland, this story is remembered at New Year, and people dress up in fantastic costumes, and are called 'Sylvesterklauses'.
In Greece, New Year's Day is also the Festival of St.Basil. St. Basil was famous for his kindness, and Greek children leave their shoes by the fire on New Year's Day with the hope that he will come and fill the shoes with gifts.
In Scotland, New Year is called Hogmanay, and in some villages barrels of tar are set alight and rolled through the streets. Thus, the old year is burned up and the new one allowed to enter.
Scottish people believe that the first person to enter your home in the New Year will bring good or bad luck, and it is very good luck if the visitor is a dark haired man bringing a gift. This custom is called 'first-footing'.
The Jewish New Year is called 'Rosh Hashanah'. It is a holy time when people think of the things they have done wrong in the past, and they promise to do better in the future.
Special services are held in synagogues, and an instrument called a 'Shofar', which is made from a ram's horn is played. Children are given new clothes, and New Year loaves are baked and fruit is eaten to remind people of harvest time.
The Muslim calendar is based on the movements of the moon, so the date of New Year is eleven days earlier each year.
Iran is a Muslim country, which used to be called Persia. The people celebrate New Year on March 21, and a few weeks before this date, people put grains of wheat or barley in a little dish to grow. By the time of New Year, the grains have produced shoots, and this reminds the people of spring and a new year of life.
Most Hindus live in India, but they don't all celebrate New Year in the same way or at the same time.
The people of West Bengal, in northern India, like to wear flowers at new Year, and they use flowers in the colors of pink, red, purple and white. Women like to wear yellow, which is the color of Spring.
In Kerala, in southern India, mothers put food, flowers, and little gifts on a special tray. On New Year's morning, the children have to keep their eyes closed until they have been led to the tray.
In central India, orange flags are flown from buildings on New Year's Day.
In Gujarat, in western India, New Year is celebrated at the end of October, and it is celebrated at the same time as the Indian festival of 'Diwali'. At the time of Diwali, small oil lights are lit all along the roofs of buildings.
At New Year, Hindus think particularly of the goddess of wealth, 'Lakshmi'.
In Vietnam, the New Year is called 'Tet Nguyen Dan' or 'Tet' for short. It begins between January 21 and February 19, and the exact day changes from year to year. They believe that there is a god in every home, and at the New Year this god travels to heaven. There he will say how good or bad each member of the family has been in the past year.
They used to believe that the god traveled on the back of a fish called a carp, and today, they sometimes buy a live carp, and then let it go free in a river or pond. They also believe that the first person to enter their house at New Year will bring either good or bad luck.
In Japan, New Year is celebrated on January 1, but the Japanese also keep some beliefs from their religion, which is called 'Shinto'. To keep out evil spirits, they hang a rope of straw across the front of their houses, and this stands for happiness and good luck.
The moment the New Year begins, the Japenese people begin to laugh, and this is supposed to bring them good luck in the New Year.
The Chinese New Year is celebrated some time between January 17 and February 19, at the time of the new moon, and it is called 'Yuan Tan". It is celebrated by Chinese people all over the world, and street processions are an exciting part of their New Year. The Festival of Lanterns is the street procession, and thousands of lanterns are used to light the way for the New Year.
The Chinese people believe that there are evil spirits around at New Year, so they let off firecrackers to frighten the spirits away. Sometimes they seal their windows and doors with paper to keep the evil spirits out.
The Tournament of Roses Parade dates back to 1886. In that year, members of the Valley Hunt Club decorated their carriages with flowers. It celebrated the ripening of the Orange crop in California.
Although the Rose Bowl football game was first played as part of the Tournament of Roses in 1902, it was replaced by Roman Chariot Races the following year. In 1916, the football game returned as the sports centerpiece of the festival.
The Tradition of using a baby to signify the New Year was started in Greece, around 600BC. It was their tradition at that time to celebrate their god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the Spirit of Fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth.
Although the early Christians denounced the practice as pagan, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the Church to reevaluate its position. The Church finally allowed its members to celebrate the New Year with a baby, which was to sumbolize the birth of the Baby Jesus.
The use of an image of a baby with a New years banner as a symbolic representation of the New Year was brought to early America by the Germans. They had used the effigy since the Fourteenth Century.
On New Year's Eve, many people hold parties which last until late into the night. It is traditional to greet the New Year at midnight and celebrate the first minutes of the year in the company of friends and family. People dance, sing and drink a toast to the year ahead. After the celebrations, it is time to make New Year resolutions, which are a list of decisions about how to live in the coming year. Horns are blown at midnight, and people hug and kiss to begin the New Year with love and happiness.
In British Columbia, Canada, there is the traditional Polar Bear Swin. People of all ages put on their bathing suits, and plunge into the icy cold water.
There's a tradition that has been passed in my family. My Italian Grandmother taught us that we must put coins on the window sills in our homes, and also on the ledge of the window that is closest to the front entrance of the house. Then, the first woman who comes to visit must bring the coins into the house, thus assuring that there will always be enough money for the family during the New Year.
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