Happy New Year...!!! Wait..... But, why...?

January 1, the beginning of a year.

Yes, it's the first day of the Gregorian Calendar and we would've seen 365.25 days by the end of the cycle. Does any of that give us a reason to celebrate? Let's take a stroll around the world and see what's called as the first day of the year in all the different places that exist. Well, lets look at a few, if not all. The Earth's an awfully big place.

We can start with the obvious: India. What's common with the words Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi, and few others I haven't heard of? They are all days the beginning of the spring season, a New Year is ushered in.

The Chinese New Year? Anytime between mid-January and mid-February. Also called the Spring Festival.

The Jewish celebrate their New Year 163 days after 'Rosh Hashanah', which was between September 8-10 this year.

The Irish celebrated their New Year at the end of the summer and called it Samhian which marked the end of summer.

Some civilizations opted to celebrate their New Year at the beginning of spring as that marked the start of seeding time. And that's quite logical since most of life revolved around agriculture. And then some associated it with other traditions that I will leave out from the blog to stop it from being a full fledged history class.

Of course, most of the population in today's world is so far removed from agriculture, that it's impossible to associate any day as the beginning of a planting and seeding season or a harvesting season.


Traditions ask that we call the first day of spring as New Year. That might make some sense in today's world. It's around the same time most working people get their raises, isn't it? And not everyone celebrates their raises. :)


That doesn't mean I wont wish people on that day. I will. Because the Gregorian calendar was formulated after some pretty serious astronomical observation and mathematical genius and there is, hidden in all of the +,-,*,/ and other mathematical calculations I have forgotten, logic in calling January 1 the first day of the year.

But, honestly, how many of us really know why there are 365.25 days in a year and why the year has to begin on Januaray1. And of what use is a 'New Year' day if it depicts nothing to us? For all my life, nothing spectacular has happened on January 1 of any year. It's just another day. Nothing more, nothing less. Does something change in our lives, no. Do we file our taxes on that day, no. Do we spend the day/night eating, drinking and making merry for no apparent reason, yes.

Tell me, if it is, why is January 1 so special to you?

This year for me, it a long holiday weekend for my husband, which makes our 'New Year weekend' great! Cheers to the 3 day food extravaganza...! And that would apply to a lot of other long weekends this year.

Anyway, putting aside all speculations, here's wishing you a very Happy New Year. Have a great time with your family and friends. My best wishes to your health, work, and life. :)

Let this be a new start to all of our old habits! :))

The cake that takes the cake! Thanks, mum!

Right. One of my posts explained my undying love for the all important Christmas Cake, Plum cake, whatever you wish to call it. I call it the King of Cakes. You see, when you put aromatic spices, a variety of dried fruits and nuts, rum and wine, all together, I don't see how to result can be anything short of spectacular.

So, in preparation for the annual tradition of plum cake baking, I made a trial loaf of the cake today. The verdict, YUM! And I will take only 10% of the credit for it. Simply because I moved my limbs to mix the ingredients. The true star, the person who deserves almost all the credit for this cake is my mum. Firstly, for engraving the memory of this cake indelibly into my mind. Secondly, for coming up with a recipe as great as this.

This one I will put on a pedestal and stare at, while eating it, until there's none of it left. :) A picture, that unfortunately falls short in conveying how delicious this cake is. To truly appreciate it, you must savor it.

Thank you mom for this.... Really....!