2009 – Peace, Happiness, Health And Prosperity

Some facts about New Year Celebrations:

1. The celebration of  New Year is the oldest of all public holidays.
2. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago and was believed to be an eleven days celebration. The early Babylonian’s most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.
3. The early Catholic Church condemned the festivities as pure paganism.
4. January 1st.has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years.
5. The tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in Greece around 600 BC.
6. Traditional New Year foods are also thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes “coming full circle,” completing a year’s cycle.
7. Dutch people believe that eating donuts on New Year’s Day will bring good fortune.
8. The song, “Auld Lang Syne,”  is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to celebrate the new year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700’s, it was first published in 1796 after Burns’ death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce our modern rendition.
9. “Auld Lang Syne” literally means “old long ago,”
10. Here in Thurles, New Year is a time for congregating  with family and close friends before midnight and seeing the new year arrive  in a spirit of togetherness, thus demonstrating  strength for the year ahead and what it may bring to each and everyone of us.

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?
And here’s a hand, my trusty friend
And gie’s a hand o’ thine
We’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne

From all at Thurles.Info, may we take this opportunity to wish you all , where ever you may be, a peaceful, happy, healthy and a prosperous New Year.