Resolution Roundup

Go to the gym, quit smoking and eat healthy—many people make these kinds of promises to themselves for the new year. This practice began thousands of years ago when ancient Babylonians would make amends for their wrongdoings during the past year at the start of a new year. They would also make resolutions to be good to others. Allegedly, a common resolution in ancient Babylon was to return all borrowed farming equipment.

Romans prayed to their god, Janus, the god of beginnings who could see into the past and future. According to some sources, the Romans exchanged presents on January 1 because they believed that it would bring good fortune in the new year. They also believed that the beginning of the new year would set the tone for the rest of the year so it was crucial to think and speak good resolution on the first day.

During the Middle Ages, knights had their own version of the New Year’s resolution. During the last feast of Christmas week, each knight would take a “peacock vow” — they would touch a live peacock to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry. The peacocks represented the majesty of kings.

In Christianity, watchnight services on New Year’s Eve are tradition. To some, these services offer the chance to reflect on the past year, confess, pray and resolve. For others, these church services symbolize the night of Dec. 31, 1862 when free African Americans living in the Union States gathered at churches, prayed and waited to hear that President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law.

In Judaism, Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first and second days of Tishri. This holiday, which translates to “Head of the Year” and is commonly known as the Jewish New Year, is a time for introspection, looking back at past mistakes and making changes in the new year.

What are your New Years resolutions?