As if your hangover isn't enough, here's a Pretzel Logic look at celebrating the New Year.
Party On
If you end up not getting enough revelry the night before January 1, here are ( according to various web sites I visited ) some of the other New Year's you can celebrate in the year 2006: South Africa ( Tweede Nuewe Jaar ) - January 2; Brunei Darussalam - January 2; Mahayan Buddhist New Years - January 14; Russia ( Orthodox New Year ) - January 14; Vietnam - January 28; Chinese - January 29; Islamic ( Muharramn ) - January 31; Baha'i - March 21; Iranian/Zoroastrian ( Norooz ) - March 21; India - March 22; Hindu ( Hindi New Year ) - March 30; Therevadin Buddhist New Year - April 13; Cambodia - April 14; Myanmar ( Myanmar New Year ) - April 17; Hindu ( Ratha-yatra ) - June 27; Mayan ( Wajxaqib' B'atz' ) - July 17; Jewish ( Rosh Hashana ) - September 23 - or sundown, September 22 to get technical; Celtic ( Samhain ) - November 1; Myanmar ( Karen New Year ) - December 19.
A New Year's With A Lot Of Drive
According to the Jewfaq.org web site: 'In Judaism, Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar... '
Happy Jew Year
That same web site continued by noting: '…Elul 1 ( in August ) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 ( in February ) is the new year for trees ( determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc. ) , and Tishri 1 ( Rosh Hashanah ) is the new year for years ( when we increase the year number. Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time ) .'
This Is Also Now A Phase Of Tourism
According to one web site, on the Mayan New Year ( Wajxaqib' B'atz' ) 'Maya Shamans or Aki jab perform the ceremony. They wish to share their knowledge with other cultures as this is now a phase of cooperation and not of obscurity as it was during the Spanish conquest and following years.'
Marching Into A January New Year
During the Middle Ages, most European countries used March 25, a Christian holiday called Annunciation Day, to start the year. By 1600, many Western nations had adopted a revised calendar called the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar ( which is the one we still use ) restored January 1 as New Year's Day. The United Kingdom and its colonies in America adopted it in 1752.
A Fawlty Holiday
January 1 is the Orthodox Christian Feast of St. Basil.
A Faulty Song Translation?
Here is an English translation of the start of a Greek New Year's Song: 'Saint Basil comes / And does not acknowledge us / From Caesarea / You are, you are the mistress of the house! / He holds a pen and paper / And leavened sweets / Paper, paper and ink / Look at me, look at me, the brave one!'
Bouncing Into The New Year
The National Taiwan University rugby team has a tradition ( which started with celebrating the new millennium ) of playing naked rugby on New Year's Day.
I Think They Might Have Started Celebrating New Year's A Little Early Over At Gaymart.com
A check of the 'New Years Music' page at Gaymart.com ( a Canadian web site - I have no idea if they are related to the store on Halsted ) , revealed this description of their New Year's music selection: 'New Year's music to bring the celebration to your home - some with a gay theme, some with traditional music performed by gay and lesbian choruses.' The three CDs listed on that page were 'Abba Gold: Greatest Hits', 'Gay Classics, Vol. IX - Hangin' Out', and 'Queer as Folk 2 Soundtrack', none of which have anything even remotely to do with New Year's or gay and lesbian choruses.
Homo For The Holidays
Gaylife.com had a web page that suggested checking out their 'revised gay color chart' so you can select the proper hankie 'before you plan your holiday party outfit!'
You can wish me a happy Wajxaqib' B'atz' at PretzelLogicDave@aol.com . Photos of National Taiwan University rugby players are always welcome.