Serious question: why is Jan 1 so special?

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

This is not a judgement or being critical. To me, there are some celebrations that I just don't understand or feel.

Dec 31 and Jan 1 are just another day on the calendar. Yes, we change one or more digits on the year but why does that make a difference? Other than the man made celebrations like a big party and a day off, I feel that one day is the same as the next. Nothing changes other than financial accounting of the previous 365 days.

Frankly, there are some days (like a hard day at work or a series of events that make the day suck) that I celebrate are over. To me, each day is a new beginning and we should make the most of it because no one is promised to see another one tomorrow.

I'm not condemning others who celebrate and I am not trying to be cynical. I just don't feel the big deal everyone seems to celebrate. I feel pretty much the same way about my birthday. I love to celebrate other peoples birthdays but when I'm asked how it feels to be a year older my answer is "just like it felt yesterday". Birthdays are a little different because there are milestones: 10, teenager, 18, 21... but after that, the number never meant much to me. I used to hear "wait until you hit 30" (40, 50, 60) but the number never really impacted me. I am looking forward to the number that designates full SSI benefits but that is more a life goal than the significance of a certain age.

So, Pelican brothers and sisters, tell me what you think. Is there anyone else who feels this way or am I just crazy (crazier)?

biosurfer1 · 12-31-2020, 07:19 AM

December 25 is just another day in the calendar. So is July 4th.

If you don't want to celebrate a holiday, don't.

cabmandone · cabmandone's Garage

I've never understood the big celebration for the changing of the calendar year but I'll eat well, drink plenty and party like it's 1999!

I can understand the celebration this year. Putting 2020 in the rearview will be worth celebrating.

Zeke · 12-31-2020, 07:32 AM

2020 is just going to reveal another sihtty year coming up tonight.

Sorry to rain on the parade (they are all cancelled anyway).

masraum · 12-31-2020, 07:33 AM

I suspect this may date back to a time where living to the next year was far less certain, and therefore more cause for celebration. But I could be wrong.

cabmandone · cabmandone's Garage

Debbie downer alert!

I'm hopeful for improvements in many areas in 2021.

masraum · 07:38 AM

Read more about it.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/new-years
just a few excerpts from a longer article (above)

Quote:

Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia. Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 (New Year’s Eve), the last day of the Gregorian calendar, and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day). Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, making resolutions for the new year and watching fireworks displays.

As part of his reform, Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honor the month’s namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. Romans celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending raucous parties.

In the United States, the most iconic New Year’s tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City’s Times Square at the stroke of midnight. Millions of people around the world watch the event, which has taken place almost every year since 1907. Over time, the ball itself has ballooned from a 700-pound iron-and-wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds. Various towns and cities across America have developed their own versions of the Times Square ritual, organizing public drops of items ranging from pickles (Dillsburg, Pennsylvania) to possums (Tallapoosa, Georgia) at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

I'm thinking 2020 may not have been the first not so cool year in history.

Let's celebrate for the hope of a better year or toast to a good year that is passing.

Also gives people a reason to congregate and drink when it was ok to do that.

pwd72s · 12-31-2020, 07:50 AM

Not too optimistic about 2021...but I do hope the Chinese flu goes bye-bye.

vash · vash's Garage

HELL yes it's special!!

first we survived another year, and i look forward to the next one. rinse repeat.

i enjoy the festive feeling, even if it is in my own mind. i like it better than my birthday.

we have a lot of "just another days". enough to go around. i enjoy the special ones. of course i am not a debbie downer.

vash · vash's Garage

its the worlds flu.

i was six years old when i last said, "hey, he started it."

Fast Freddy 944 · Fast Freddy 944's Garage

Merica!

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast Freddy 944

Merica!

Don't PARF up an OT thread, please.

Starless · 12-31-2020, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Don't PARF up an OT thread, please.

Thank you.

KFC911 · 12-31-2020, 08:34 AM

'Cause Jan 0 sucked so bad... NEXT

!

dad911 · 12-31-2020, 08:40 AM

Our end of the world NYE party was 1999 into 2000. We had a few friends stocking up on necessities, and pulling cash out of their banks. 1 couple was afraid to come out.

We were checking the internet every hour (as a joke) looking for the major crashes.......

I was just happy than nobody asked me to update any of the software I wrote in the 80's for Y2K.

cabmandone · cabmandone's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by dad911

Our end of the world NYE party was 1999 into 2000. We had a few friends stocking up on necessities, and pulling cash out of their banks. 1 couple was afraid to come out.

We were checking the internet every hour (as a joke) looking for the major crashes.......

I was just happy than nobody asked me to update any of the software I wrote in the 80's for Y2K.

Y2K... 21 years ago but remember it like yesterday! The run on generators and everything else only to end up a dud.

island911 · 12-31-2020, 08:47 AM

Jan 1 is not so special.

Just an artifact of calendar drift from the special winter solstice day. - the darkest day of the northern hemisphere.

Tidybuoy · 12-31-2020, 09:03 AM

It must be human nature that we count things. Not only years but race, gender, gender choice, age, religion, etc.. how many government forms are we requested to identify all these things? And then we wonder why people associate with groups.

Ohh, and January 1st, 2021 is very important because it is Friday and we don't have to go to work!

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

As far I’m concerned. 2018-20 sucked donkey balls.

Can it get worse? Probably.

As to who started new year celebrations? My vote is the guys that brought us COVID. They really go nuts with fireworks. So much so it affects air quality. But then again they don’t give much of a rats ass about AQ. You would think once they got major industrialized they would have learned the lessons of clean manufacturing. Much cheaper to be preventative as opposed to cleaning up afterwards.

I’m keeping my head down. Not planning to get the vaccine. I have a big project in my front and rear fiberglass bumper rebuilds. 18 years of AX and DEs, asshat drivers that use my 911 is a target and those stupid speed bumps. Yes I can buy replacements but what else do I have to do this winter?

I’m planning on painting them cargo bed liner flat black for a new look instead of Gran Prix white to match the body. Different look and will hide the blemishes from my amateur glass work.