THE ORIGINS OF NEW YEAR’S DAY TRADITIONS

The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions dates back to the early Babylonians.  While popular modern resolutions include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking, the early Babylonian’s most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

The Tournament of Roses Parade dates back to 1886.  In that year members of the Valley Hunt Club decorated their carriages with flowers to celebrate the ripening of the orange crop in California.  Although the Rose Bowl football game was first played as part of the Tournament of Roses in 1902, it was replaced by Roman chariot races the following year.  In 1916, the football game returned as the sports centerpiece of the festival.

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January 1st, 2010 | Tags: New Year's Day | Category: Daily Blog, Holidays