Happy New Year everyone. Welcome to Toni Taddeo's first Tuesday 4 in the new year.
1. January 1, 1892 Ellis Island opened it's doors. Did any of your relations enter the United States through Ellis Island? If not, do you know your family's history? My family isn't American so no relations entered through Ellis Island or any part of the USA. Fortunately I do know my family history but many of my extended family members do not.
2. January's birthstone is garnet and the flower is the carnation. Do you have favorite gem stones or flowers? The garnet is a very pretty gem but I've never been a big fan of carnations. My favourite gem stones are sapphire and turquoise. I'm not sure I have a favourite flower but if I have to pick one it would probably be the rose in any colour because they smell wonderful and there are so many varieties and colours for any taste. I do like many kind of flowers though so if we met up in person I'd probably ooh and aah over any beautiful, colourful flower in the garden.
3. January 6 is Epiphany. Many take that day as the final day of the Christmas celebration and take down their decor. What about you? I take down my decorations before the Epiphany otherwise they might stay up for several more weeks and that wouldn't do. I like to keep them up until New Year's Day then they come down the next day. This year I almost took them down on December 27th. I think it's because for the very first time in a long while I put the tree and decorations up at the end of November and so a few weeks is more than enough.
4. There is some evidence that January can set the tone for your entire year. What do you think of this? Do you make resolutions, etc? I'd be interested in what you mean by 'evidence'. Have there been some scientific studies on the subject? It does make sense to me that January can set the tone for the year. My maternal grandfather always used to teach us, and mom carried on the teaching, that we must set our home and our family matters in a good and positive way before the New Year comes and on the eve of the New Year and on the first day, we should be doing positive things and activities that will 'follow' us throughout the year. In other words, no fighting and division amongst family and friends and no negative activities. I adopted this as the way I live my life in general but also at the close and beginning of each New Year. My family also liked to gather together at home safe and sound rather than be out and about and we stayed up visiting and watching television festivities waiting for the New Year to be rung in at midnight. Then we would hug and kiss and wish one another a happy New Year. Following that the phone would start to ring and/or we would make phone calls to wish loved ones far away a very Happy New Year. Sadly, no one really does this anymore but I loved it. Today I do still stay up until midnight to wish my immediate family a Happy New Year and have a small toast. I hope to continue this tradition even if it is only with one person.
Update: After reading what others have posted in answer to this question I came back to expand on my answer in case there was any confusion by what I meant. I want to clarify that my maternal grandfather was not a superstitious person and nor was my mother. We were/are all Christians and the idea about the positivity was to set the tone of what would follow in the new year. It was not magic, nor a ritual but an intentional decision as to how we would live out the day, the transition to the New Year and the New Year itself. We were in gratitude, if you will for each day and moment that the good Lord has gifted us and were deliberately choosing our attitudes about the gift of more time.
Last but not least, I don't make resolutions but I do adopt a theme word for the year. A few years ago I did more detailed goal setting but this takes more thought and work to be ready to post it at the end or beginning of each year. The goal setting works well for me when I'm able to do it. The theme word also works well and gives me more flexibility in the activities I'm carrying out throughout the year.
Thanks for stopping by. I'll be paying your blog a visit soon!
8 comments:
Your answer to #4 was so interesting. Enjoyed visiting you today.
I always enjoy reading these Q&As. And I loved all of your answers!
Thank you for joining in. I really can't tell you how much i enjoy reading about everyone and their interests, ideas and lives. I should have remembered that not everyone could connect with Ellis Island.
Very interesting. I love the way your family starts out the New Year in such a positive way. I think that is a wonderful tradition. We also used to call each other at midnight to wish a Happy New Year. Nowadays I am quite happy that no one calls me at that hour. We usually go to bed at our normal time because we are OLD> LOL. And especially this year because the next was Sunday and we had to leave for church at 8 a.m. for Sunday School, as my husband is the teacher. So we needed to stick with our normal routine. But we can wish each other a Happy New year anytime this month and get away with it. LOl. Have a blessed New year. I enjoyed your post.
Sapphire is my favorite stone also. I liked your answer to #4! It is so interesting to read about different traditions. Loved your answers! Have a nice week. ♥
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I like your family traditions. I chose a Word for the year too-Focus and I wrote about it on my Jan. 1st entry. Happy New Year!
Hello Penny. This was a really interesting read and I love reading about your New Year's traditions. I also remember calling everyone at midnight or shortly after and we do not now do that due mainly to the busy networks I think. We also used to stay up with the TV and family times and have a toast at midnight with the chimes of Big Ben in London. Some years I have been out with my sisters for a meal and other times visiting my friend in London and watching the fireworks together. Myself and my new partner have been thinking about what to do next new year. It seems a long way off for me to be planning however I think it will be good to have a different evening all being well. Happy New Year to you Penny. When you last visited my blog I accidentally called you the wrong name so apologies to you. I must have been rushing through my life at that time and so glad to have some slower times of late. I am spending this week relaxing, cleaning and finding my word for 2023.
I'm not a fan of carnations either. I like what you shared about what your grandfather and mom taught. I also agree that it's how I try to live my life for the most part. I believe our thoughts, our attitudes affect our lives greatly. I enjoyed all your answers.
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