Ring out the Old , Ring in the New.

And here we are saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new. We seem to have adopted the idea that as the hands of the clock pass beyond midnight there will be a new start for us all. But in reality we all know this is not the case. However the tradition of New Year's resolutions was borne of this idea that the New Year gives us the chance to reset things or to move on and aspire. We choose to think of it as a time for exploring the paths before us.

'Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference '

Robert Frost

There is a lot of folklore tradition to negotiate as we transition between the old year to the new.

Bring the New Year in and take the old year out or vice versa depending on where you live as this tradition changes.

“Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.”

Alfred Lord Tennyson

The first things you do on New Years Day sets the tone for the year ahead so make them be joyous and how you want your year to continue.

Many believed the weather on New Year’s Day forecasted what the weather would be like later in the year.

According to tradition, no one should leave the house on New Year's Day until someone first enters from outside, and nothing should be removed from the house. It was bad luck to sweep out dirt or throw out washing water as you were throwing away your good luck and bad fortune would follow !

It's been a difficult year to negotiate for by many with things we'd rather forget about. The words of hope given by Christine McVie in her amazing song , 'Don't Stop' helps.

'Don't stop thinking about tomorrow

Don't stop, it'll soon be here

It'll be better than before

Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone'.

And of course Christine McVie was one of the many people that passed from us this year and as well as this being a time for merriment this is a time of the year to reflect and to remember those that are no longer with us. We like to light a candle in rememberance of those we have loved and lost on New Years Eve and make a toast to them.

it's also of course the time when we can open the 2023 country Wisdom & Folklore Diary and write in all those important dates.

And we can look forward to all the traditions, country ways and folklore, together with the seasons and the passage of the year through observing the Wheel of the Year. We may be in winter now but spring follows winter and life and light come back to us all once more.

We wish you all a most joyous end of the old year and start to the new. Thank You for helping us keep alive the old ways and celebrating the new.

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