Each year leading up to January 1, we anticipate new possibilities by making resolutions and setting goals for the upcoming 12 months. And though it often feels like it’s the same old thing—eat healthy, go to the gym, save money—the start of making New Year’s resolutions dates back thousands of years, and the history is quite fascinating.
The first recorded group to celebrate a new year more than 4,000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians, held a 12-day Akitu festival at the beginning of the spring planting season in March. During the festival, Babylonians made resolutions to their gods, pledging loyalty to the king and making promises to pay debts and return any borrowed items to their owners. They believed that, by keeping these resolutions, the gods would treat them with favor throughout the year.
The modern Gregorian New Year began in ancient Rome in 46 B.C. after Julius Caesar declared January 1 the start of the new year. The Romans moved the date to honor the god Janus, a two-faced god who could look back on the past year and forward to the new year. The Romans would offer sacrifices to Janus and make resolutions of good behavior.
New Year’s resolutions continued into the Middle Ages, when knights made a “peacock vow” at the end of the year to renew their resolution to maintain the values of knighthood by putting their hands on a live or roasted peacock. By the 17th century, when New Year’s resolutions were becoming more common, Scottish writer Anne Halkett recorded several in her diary, including this promise: “I will not offend anymore.”
In the 18th century, Christians held mass on New Year’s Eve or Day, allowing worshipers to reflect on the previous year and make resolutions to do better in the year ahead. In 1813, a Boston newspaper published the first recorded use of the phrase “New Year resolution”:
“And yet, I believe there are multitudes of people, accustomed to receive injunctions of new year resolutions, who will sin all the month of December, with a serious determination of beginning the new year with new resolutions and new behaviour, and with the full belief that they shall thus expiate and wipe away all their former faults.”
Of course, today New Year’s resolutions are as common as the New Year’s Eve midnight kiss, and countries celebrate them in a variety of quirky and traditional ways. Brazilians flock to the beach to make their resolutions. At midnight, they tread into the ocean in all-white clothing—which represents purity—and jump seven waves while making seven wishes. In Italy, it’s called buoni propositi, or good intentions. Traditions include eating fatty pork to “fatten” wallets and eating black-eyed peas or wearing red underwear on January 1 to bring good luck.
The Chinese New Year is a huge two-week celebration that starts on the first full moon of the Lunar calendar (between January 21 and February 20). The event culminates at the Lantern Festival, where millions of Chinese people practice rituals to ensure good luck in the new year. Common practices include passing out red envelopes filled with money, hosting family dinners, offering sacrifices to ancestors, and deep-cleaning houses to usher in prosperity.
In Colombia, people make wishes— deseos—at the strike of midnight on January 1 as they eat one grape for each chime, so, 12 grapes and 12 wishes. Those who wish for a prosperous year can also fill their pockets with lentils, while those hoping to travel more may carry their suitcase around the block at midnight. Spaniards also participate in the celebratory grape eating, rushing to eat 12 grapes before the clock stops chiming—that’s one grape every two seconds. Doing so ensures luck in the new year.
Here in the United States, around 40 percent of the population makes resolutions, though typically fewer than 10 percent follow through with them. We polled Bham Family readers recently to learn about their resolutions; keep reading to see what locals are determined to accomplish in 2024.
I want to prioritize my sleep routine. I’m a natural night owl, but that’s starting to be a challenge for this school bus driver who wakes up at 5 a.m. I also want to exercise/move my body three days a week, and my “big fat scary dream” is to start a podcast. —Vallie P., Oak Mountain
Grow my travel planning business! —Jaime D., Mt Laurel
To nurture my authentic self. —Anne W., Vestavia
Start strength training to prevent osteoporosis. Paint more by managing my time better. Devote more volunteer time to ministry. —Melanie M., Irondale
Actively practice at remaining stoic in circumstances that I cannot control. And also more volunteer time, especially with my son. —Marilyn S., Hoover
Eat less. Sleep more. —Lauren L., Vestavia
Start a podcast. Actually, mine launches this month!
—Melanie W., Cahaba Heights
I’m really committed to regular date nights in 2024.
—Jill M., Mountain Brook
Make time for one-on-one dates with my kids.
—James L., Vestavia
Weekly grocery trip and cook more at home.
—Mary Beth T., Leeds
My goal is to read 30 books in 2024! —Kristine K., Hoover
Find regular volunteer/charity opportunities to do with my kids. —Stephanie L., Moody
My lofty goal this year is to drive a clean car—no kid clutter or Chick-fil-A bags left behind.
—Heather M., Chelsea
Save for a family vacation to somewhere we’ve never been before! —Laurie P., Inverness
Self-care, self-care, self-care. —Becky M., Leeds
I want to read more to my daughter. —Allen P., Pelham
I’m going to cook something new each week out of the many cookbooks I own! —Laine G., Leeds
I really want to stop procrastinating. Maybe 2024 is my year. —Kim. C., Alabaster
Put my phone away and live in the present.
—Colleen R., Homewood
Learn a new hobby! I need a new passion.
—Carol P., Vestavia
I’m going to try to eat less sugar. I guess that means I’ll be baking less! —Holly G., Trussville
Read the entire Bible. —Angela H., Crestline