Weird New Year’s Traditions

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Weird New Year’s Traditions

Where in the world is possum dropping being celebrated?

 Which country celebrates by wearing pink underwear?

 What about a country that celebrates in a cemetery?

 Want to wear a costume bearing a horse's head? 

 What about writing a wish on a piece of paper, burning it, then throwing the ash into a glass of champagne?

 Where is mass-kissing considered the most entertaining New Year's Eve custom?

Guess what? It is not America!

ENJOY NEW YEAR'S EVE WHEREVER YOU ARE, HOWEVER YOU MAY!

 

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 CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION!
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What an awesome ending - 2013/beginning - 2014!

2013  has certainly had its share of ups and downs. But, of course, those are all a part of life. With every touch of happiness often comes a bittersweet sorrow. Even within those times where the tomorrows shed little light, a ray of hope always seems to be found: The promise of better days ahead. 

Thank you for embracing the past, empowering the present, enriching the future of America! Her strength lies with each link remaining taut to preserve and carry on her ancestral chain. 

As you move ahead into 2014, remain mindful of how important it is to support America, her flag, her constitution, her values! Support the military, her protectors, her defenders! They support you! 

Happy New Year: Dance the Night Away

With New Year's Eve comes immense celebration: partying well into the night and even beyond the bewitching, magical midnight hour. Do you Wanna Dance? Just the thought of New Year's Eve makes you feel all Wooly Bully, wanting to (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty, Dance the Night Away! Feel like a Dancing Queen! I Wanna Dance with Somebody, any body, I just want to DANCE! 

  

Happy New Year! 2014

AULD LANG SYNE 2013

Today is the 365th day of the year 2013, the last day marking preparation for the final hour, minutes, and seconds of yet another year. With the passing of its last second comes a new beginning, a new year filled with hopes and promises in the form of resolutions for some while others enter the year without resolve. 

Embrace the past. . .

In sentimental American movies, "Auld Lang Syne" is sung by hundreds, maybe even thousands, at the big New Year finale. While it is still traditional to sing "Auld Lang Syne" at the end of one year, beginning of another, where did the song originate? 

Some resources quote in 1788, Scottish poet/songwriter Robert Burns, penned the words to "Auld Lang Syne." As with many writings from past generations, there is often controversy. It is, however, one of the many folk songs from the great Lowland Scots tradition. One of the most interesting facts is that the Auld Lang Syne tune that has conquered the world being sung from Times Square to Tokyo is not the one to which it is reported that Robert Burns put the original words.

Auld Lang Syne : Lyrics

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.   

 Empower the present. . .

Today is New Year's Eve and here we are waiting in anticipation the arrival of 2014! With New Year's Eve comes immense celebration: partying well into the night and even beyond the bewitching, magical midnight hour. Families and friends gather to "ring out the old and ring in the new!" amid the socialization of dancing, singing, eating, drinking and watching or lighting fireworks. Many will attend a watchnight service, a late-night Christian church service. 

As the hands of the clock approach midnight, billions of pairs of eyes worldwide will be fixed upon the dazzling lights and bustling energy of New York City's Times Square. Whether physically present within the square itself or glued to the television screen, adrenalin runs rampant with anticipation. A global tradition awaits commencement. The world holds it breath as the famous New Year's Eve Ball descends slowly. 

Voices resonate the countdown...10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, until the clock strikes twelve. Tall and short glasses are raised with excitement as voices in unison shout "Happy New Year!"amid the explosion of hundreds of fireworks...

  History of New Year's Eve
Watch the History of New Year's Eve Times Square Video 

Enrich the future. . .

As we move past midnight into the dawn of 2014, may your thoughts be affixed upon resolutions of joy, peace and happiness. Look to the future in ways of enrichment for America: recovery and renewal! Remain attuned to changes that are wanted, more importantly needed, for hope, faith and courage to remain in the forefront of our nation. 

Let your hearts be mindful of those who will not be celebrating with family and friends, some perhaps on homeland soil, while others across oceans and continents. They continue to protect and defend our nation from enemies who lurk about waiting, watching, plotting for the right moment to destroy.

  Our protectors, our defenders, we salute you!

 

The Time Capsule

During your youthful years, did you ever participate in burying a time capsule, perhaps as a part of a school project? Maybe you created your own treasury of keepsakes planting it under a rock or mound of earth in your own backyard. As we age, memory often grows dim shedding little light on happenings of the past. There are those which remain engrained in the scrapbook of the mind much like indelible ink on parchment paper, while others vanish as quick as the blink of an eye.

The time capsule can be personal, depict culture variances, offer insight into tradition, provide knowledge of historical events, births and deaths and so on. Whatever its reason, it is a step back in time preserved until time for its resurrection...

Keepsakes and collectibles provide a tangible means of looking into the past. Historic caches of memorabilia contain a variety of objects each with its own message about the life and times of long, long ago.

A storehouse for all posterity
Representative of life at a set time
The time capsule relates to the dead
Allowing the living to explore mankind

 

Music, movies, toys, clothing and more
Depict the culture of a given time
To teach others about that past life
In hopes all is not lost and left behind

 

Letters, diaries, insight into thoughts
Reveal ancestry personalities
Jewelry, silver, and metalwork
Disclose status and nationalities

Sealed and commonly buried
Under rubble or beneath soil of the earth
The time capsule lies lifeless
Until opened in a moment of rebirth

 

Connections to the past preserve death
Within relics to soothe the soul
Is it news to conserve suffering
Or a chance for cries to extol?

 

A dissonant treasure of our youth
Is oftentimes found enamoring
Should its hidden secrets be revealed
Or remain sealed for silent comforting?

©2013 Awakenings
Sharla Lee Shults

“I have prepared one of my own [time capsules]. I have placed some rather large samples of dynamite, gunpowder, and nitroglycerin. My time capsule is set to go off in the year 3000. It will show them what we are really like.”

—Alfred Hitchcock (1899–1980)