Column: Pat Mulso,  Preserving the Past

Here we are ushering in another new year. As a child I remember we always had ribs and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day, watched the Tournament of Roses Parade and then watched football. There are many American New Year’s traditions, they all have one thing in common: to help usher in a happy and prosperous new year. Some New Year’s traditions have their roots in ancient superstitions, while others have origins that are more recent. When I researched New Year’s traditions this is what I found:

 

American Traditions

“Auld Lang Syne”: This song was originally put on paper by Scotsman Robert Burns in 1788, but the song itself is believed to be much older. The song gained popularity in America when big band leader Guy Lombardo used it in his 1950s radio and television broadcasts. It is now tradition for this song to play as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Kissing at midnight: When “Auld Lang Syne” begins to play, it is a long-standing tradition for you to kiss someone you love. The tradition stems from the superstition that you must start the New Year off being affectionate to your loved ones, or the rest of your year will be loveless.

Champagne: Popping the cork on a bottle of bubbly at midnight is another tradition based on superstition. It sets a festive tone for the coming year and brings prosperity.

Father Time and New Year’s Baby: Father Time represented by a bearded old man who carries a staff and an hourglass, symbolizing the movement of time. The baby is the symbol of rebirth. They are symbolic of the ushering out the old year for a new year filled with new chances and opportunities. The idea of a baby as a symbol of fertility goes back to the ancient Greeks, but the image of the Baby New Year is distinctly American. These images first appeared in the late 1800s in magazines and gained popularity in the early part of the 20th century.

Hoppin’ John: Eating this dish, prepared with black-eyed peas and ham hocks, is said to bring wealth because the peas resemble coins and they swell when they are cooked, which is considered a sign of prosperity.

Ball drop: Whether you watch it in person in Times Square in New York City or on television, seeing the ball drop is how millions of people ring in the New Year. The tradition originated in 1907, the original ball was made of iron and wood. Now the ball is made of Waterford crystal, is six feet in diameter and weighs more than 1,000 pounds.

Fireworks: This tradition is based on Eastern superstitions. In Asian cultures, fireworks are a common part of New Year celebrations. It is believed that the sound of fireworks chases away evil spirits.

Resolutions: This custom is based on the early Christian belief of reflecting on the previous year and striving to improve and change in the coming year. Many people start the year off vowing to exercise, eat right or give up bad habits.

Tournament of Roses Parade: The Tournament of Roses parade dates back to 1890. The 1954 parade was the first nationwide color broadcast in America. Interestingly, the Tournament of Roses parade cannot be held on a Sunday, thanks to an 1893 rule by the parade’s organizers. The parade predates the Rose Bowl football game, which began in 1902 as a way to help pay for the parade.

Football games: Several college football bowl games are held New Year’s Day. Like the Tournament of Roses parade, these games are rescheduled to Jan. 2 if the New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday.

 

Foreign Traditions

The Spanish ritual on New Year’s Eve is to eat 12 grapes at midnight. The tradition is meant to secure 12 happy months in the coming year.

The Dutch burn bonfires of Christmas trees on the street and launch fireworks. The fires are meant to purge the old and welcome the new.

It’s a longtime Finnish tradition to predict the coming year by casting molten tin into a container of water, and then interpreting the shape the metal takes after hardening. A heart or ring shape means a wedding in the New Year; a ship forecasts travel; and a pig shape signifies plenty of food.

During the New Year’s Eve celebration of Hogmanay, “first-footing” is practiced all over Scotland. The custom dictates that the first person to cross the threshold of a home in the New Year should carry a gift for luck (whiskey is the most common).

Round shapes (representing coins) are thought to symbolize prosperity for the coming year in the Philippines.

Many Danes ring in the New Year by standing on chairs and then jumping off them together at midnight. Leaping into January is supposed to banish bad spirits and bring good luck.

In Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela, it’s considered lucky to wear special underwear on New Year’s Eve. The most popular colors are red and yellow: red is supposed to bring love in the coming year, and yellow is supposed to bring money.

Whatever your family tradition is, we hope you had a safe and happy celebration and that 2012 will be a prosperous year.

As we begin 2012 at the museum we want you to know that it will be a year of many changes. We begin the year with the traveling exhibit, “Electrifying Minnesota” made possible by Legacy Funding. You may view this exhibit through Feb. 12.

We will also host a special exhibit to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts and co-sponsor, with the Albert Lea Public Library, an author visit to the museum in March. As we move into spring we will be moving forward with the building expansion and there will be fundraising events, school tours, bus trips and all our regular events, plus some new projects are in the planning stages. So if you have not renewed your museum membership, you will want to do so, it will be an exciting year!

We are also seeking Girl Scout items to use during our special exhibit. If you have items that you would be willing to let the museum use please contact us at 373-8003 or stop by the museum during our regular hours.

 

Pat Mulso is the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum in Albert Lea.