After excitement on
Santa’s wrapped up presents, singing Joy to the World and Kissing sweethearts
under the Mistletoe, we finally enter the ‘The Last Teen-year’ of the 21st
century with a bang. New Year is the oldest holiday till date from the time it
first kicked its existence in Babylon.
The dawn of a new hope is what makes 31st and 1st
the two most challenging days in time.
It is a period of self-rejuvenation and the warmth of togetherness spent
with folks. It is a phenomenal time where a sole person generates their own
choice of either leaving the bummer days behind or treasuring exceptional
memories.
Apart from the mental enrichment at the time of having a
clean sweep in this New Year, families and friends celebrate it with great
fervour and zest.
In ancient history, according to the Gregorian calendar, the
Romans adopted January 1st as the New Year celebration day. In those
days New Year was not an actual celebration. It wasn’t lavish or glamorous; it
was associated with paganism, where Romans celebrated the Sombreness of Mary.
But from the 20th century onwards New Year became a celebration of
relationships, nationality and a family get together. Hence, the parties and
grand celebrations!
Dance, music, fun, fiesta and fireworks is what we enjoy
today while bringing in New Year and looking to a new beginning. Most of the
Families and friends deliberately celebrate the new beginning with an age old
custom of burning the old man; “obviously a cotton-hay man”, says Sheryl
Gonsalves, a writer from Colvale. She often enjoys watching the fire consume
the old hag, symbolically meaning an end to the rotten bygones.
Gratitude filled lunches and tapping to the music with loved
ones is another notified New Year celebration. There are also simple and
strange ways to have a new beginning, just by laying inside a cosy rug and
hearing the sound of fireworks in the sky; some may think of it as a lazy
lonely lad, “honestly, that’s the best!” , say some; early to bed and early to
rise’ as the new year resolution for
them.
New Year resolutions are definitely known to be a ‘thing’
annually;for a great man once said, “Last year’s words belong to last year’s
language and a new year’s words await another voice”.
Cafe take a look at
some interesting traditional activities, people’s new motives and reasons
behind a new beginning.
1. Amandeep Kaur Garcha- FY Student, Hotel
Management
In our house we normally just have a partyor go on long
drives. From this New Year onwards I
look forward to do the things I wasn’t able to do in the last 3 months. Specifically, I plan on saving money,
travelling more, talking less, getting a good reputation in college and learning
to tackle tough situations in a mature manner.
2. Prisca Dias – Housewife
We celebrate New Year commonly like everyone else every
year. But I have to mention that when it comes for the food preparation in our
family, our speciality is the Goan Sorpotel. Everyone loves my mom’s
preparation. She is good at cooking Sorpotel; hence she prepares it a week ago.
That is our New Year; Sorpotel is like a cherry on top the cake that makes our
New Year so special along with our friends and family. Besides this speciality,
we usually tap our toes to the rhythm at Emerald Lawns; it is a place where we
often celebrate New Year.
3. Priya Agnelo Menezes- Teacher
Every year we have our night service to start the year with
blessings and grace from God. In this process each one from my family gives a
verse from the bible and receives a unique word from God. This then full fills
the prophesies for the next year. Later like every other family we have dinner
together with thanksgiving and prayers.
4. Pakhhi Bannerjee- Sales Consultant
(Laughs)We have a very unusual way of celebrating New Year;
in fact we don’t celebrate at all. Our New Year celebrations have a basic
family principle- Compulsorily clean the whole house and wear relatively new
clothes. This includes us going out
shopping and purchasing new curtains, sheets and covers to drape the house in
new décor. Besides that, we normally just wake up really late and then have a
family brunch together.
5. AideenNunes- Last year Student –Visual
Communications
This year my relation is to give myself a little more self-
love. Moreover, I want to take a break from worrying about petty things and
focus on ‘ME’, my presence of mind, how others emotions affect me and how not
to allow it to affect me.
6. Sr Betty- Salesian Nun
My family are my dear sisters living with me. We continue to
live together as one big Salesian family sharing our joys and sorrows. We
celebrate life together and will continue walking with Mother Mary this 2019.
7. PrajyotVerlekar- Media-person
We get together like everyone else and have a good dinner at
midnight. Along with the delicious food we watch a television program together.
However, this time I am putting up a program, like a cultural event at twilight
in our own village waddo. MY intentions are to bring our neighbourhood closer
by organizing the program. I consider my village as my second family and would
love us all to celebrate it together.
8. Priscilla Janarthanan- Professional
Hairstylist
31st night is very special and it makes me very
happy as I always consider it as a fresh start with a clear conscience. Along
with my family opening a bottle of wine and having a wine cake to top it off is
a must as a tradition. The best part is
during the countdown waiting for the New Year to begin. And this year my goal
is to have a healthy diet and slim down. (Winks) This time I’m going to have a
great time from the attending church to swaying until next morning.
