Saturday, January 1, 2011

Your New Year and You

Well, it's a new-fangled year again, and people everywhere are making resolutions that are more than likely vague and easily "loopholeable". I'm not saying that I am in any way immune to this pattern, but like everyone else, I am also saying "This year will be different!" You see, a few years ago I came across a handy list of holidays. There was at least one holiday listed for every day of the year, and I began simply using it as a conversation starter in such ways as "Did you know today was (insert obscure, question provoking holiday here) day? How do you even celebrate that?" However, after a year of what I can only describe as a down with about two ups, I've decided to make this year a little more exciting.

It took a while for me to find out how, but then it came to me. The list of holidays. I will celebrate every holiday on that list to the best of my ability. Luckily, after I post this post, I will be accountable. If I stop, I lose. However, some holidays are obviously out of my budget or past my ability to fully celebrate, so I may have to come up with my own way to celebrate them, but they WILL be celebrated. What better way to add a little uniqueness and excitement to a possibly boring day? ... Well there is probably plenty better, but this is what I'm doing.

I'v already celebrated one of today's holidays: First Foot Day. At first I thought I'd just find my first footprint and do some kind of artsy-fart activity with it, but then I found out the TRUE meaning of First Foot Day. In summary, during the viking days of old, Scotland had a tradition where a dark haired male being the first to step into your house on new years day was good luck, but a light-haired male or a woman was not. The man would bring coal and salt to wish warmth and flavour for the new year. Having walked into my house at about 1:45 a.m. last night after getting back from a new year's party, I have already celebrated, and luckily, I have darkish hair right now. I DID forget the coal and salt, but I'll just put extra salt on everything I eat today that merits having salt on it.

The OTHER holiday today is "Z Day". Now, I looked this one up, and supposedly it is a day when a class could celebrate by allowing the children with names that begin with "Z" be the first in line for everything, as they never are or will be when it comes to alphabetical order. This is not to be confused with "Zeitgeist Day", which is on March 13th, or the dreaded "Zombie Day" [Date unknown]. However I am out of school, and to my knowledge know only one person who has a "Z" name. They will be the FIRST person I tell "Happy New Years" to, though. As that's all I can really think to do, as I will most likely not see them today.

Now it seems I have gotten off easy for today, but rest assured, it will get more intense. It's always good to have an "ease-in" to such a large commitment, after all. I wouldn't want to rush what could be a beautiful thing.

Thanks for reading!
~Kyle