Do people really believe a new year means that significant things will change?

Of course not. New Year’s Day is just one of 365. It means nothing unless WE make it mean something.

It means I have to buy a new calendar. Seems like I have to do that every year. It does provide a good reason to get drunk. It also means my birthday is getting close. another good reason to get drunk. It means the Superbowl is just around the corner. Yet another good reason to get drunk. Its too early to have a few drinks but give me time and I’ll be able to come up with a few more good reasons to get drunk.

I don’t find it contradictory; people are not all the same. I suggest that many think about the new year and what it can mean for them, themselves…..not so much what will change for all of us. But when the skies go dark on 12–31, watch football, party, and pray for continued guidance.

Happy New Year

I like beginnings, even as I recognize how arbitrary calendar starts are. New Year’s Day, the first of the month, Mondays, all have an ordinal feel that I like. I don’t give them a lot of power, but I do get some comfort.

Remember Y2K and what a bust that was? Thank goodness.
I think the new year is a starting point for people to say they will lose weight, exercise, stop bad habits, etc. It’s a jumping off point that seems more relative than a slightly more random date of, say February 19.

@chyna I’ll be ready for Christmas by February 19!

As a boundary in time, it’s arbitrary. As a clean slate, it’s an illusion. But we can go with the illusion of the chance for a fresh start and use it to help us focus on changes we want or need to make.

We can also enjoy the illusion as a kind of relief from things we’re glad to see end: “This was a terrible year. I hope the next one is better.”

The two-faced Roman god Janus who looks both forward and backward is an apt expression of this feeling.

@Jaxk, no, you don’t. There are only fourteen calendars: one for January 1 falling on each day of the week in a regular year and one each for a leap year. If you have a 2017 calendar around, you can use it for 2023. I do this with wall calendars I really like, bearing in mind that phases of the moon and some holidays won’t match up.

It’s an opportunity. I like it, but I lived in Asia a long time where it’s a much bigger deal. The Japanese celebrate by being with family and eating special food. They do it now and not at the lunar new year like much of the rest of Asia.

We have a large Chinese population here, so I’ll get to do that one too.

It’s a time to mark things. It gives us an opportunity to refresh ourselves.

No.

Despite howe much I try I am still me.

@Jaxk Early happy birthday wishes to you if I miss your actual birthday. Cheers.

As to the question, having a day dedicated to fresh starts is different in the collective psyche than every other day. Sure it often doesn’t work out, but I’ve made changes on Jan 1. before that have stuck. One year I decided to go vegetarian for 6 months to try it out and stuck with it. I started eating meat again after, but the following January 1, I stopped eating red meat. Other than pork (which I eventually snuck back in—it IS the other white meat after all) I’ve kept up with it since early high school.

In 1998 I decided not to lie for an entire year. Changed my life around, and life changed for the better. It seemed at the time that things where getting worse but I stuck to it and most of my emotional pain diminished around early this year, and my life is back on track.

I had a personality shift, and things quickly went for the better. I went from a fry cook to a psychology major in university. Now the only thing holding me back is money.

Well since I don’t drink, I don’t look for excuses to drink. But yeah, I do think/know things are going to change in the new year for me and I can’t wait! ‘23 and ME! :)

You can’t step into the same river twice and you can’t step into the same year twice either.

For me, it’s not a “let’s get drunk and party” night – the last time I drank was a few sips of wine on Thanksgiving. Right now I’m in my jammies and I had some egg nog and some rice pudding, so I’m full of cream.

I like the change of the calendar year and I like the thought of new beginnings and hope being on the horizin. Things might not change, but I like the thought that maybe they might.

@Hawaii_Jake as someone who lives in Asia, I can tell you that some of us actually don’t like those big meals and gathering. Those things come with a bunch of responsibility like having to interact with acquaintances, some of whom can be really nasty. And all the obligatory cooking too. A lot of people are opting to celebrate on their own terms. It’s much more liberating to be the one in control.

@Mimishu1995 Thank you very much for your valuable insight. It’s really good to hear from someone living in the reality of my little knowledge.

@Jaxk Donate to three or four nature organizations and you’ll never have to buy another calendar again. You’ll be inundated every year with several for free.

questioner: What time of the year is most affected by change?

openAI: The start of a new year is often a time of change for many people. The beginning of a new year can bring new opportunities and challenges, and many people make resolutions or set goals for the new year. The start of a new calendar year can also bring changes in laws and regulations, and many businesses and organizations make changes at the beginning of the year.

However, change can happen at any time of the year and is not limited to the start of a new year. Change is a natural part of life and can occur as a result of personal circumstances, societal changes, or other factors. Some people may experience more significant changes at certain times of the year, such as when they graduate from school or start a new job, while others may experience more gradual changes over time. Ultimately, the timing of change will vary depending on individual circumstances and the specific changes that are occurring.

@gorillapaws – Thanks for the birthday wishes. @Jeruba – Thanks for that trick but the last thing I need is to store more crap.

I’ll add one more point for the new year. Every major (or minor) event in my life is noted by what year it happened. The year my son was born, the year I bought my first house, the years I got married. The new year brings another set of mile stones and I look forward to that.

@Jaxk Yes, I’m beginning to change my attitude and think maybe there can be something significant about the dawning of a new year.

@wearemiracles Why are you answering as AI?
Do you not have your own answer?

@chyna probably because they know it annoys us, which seems to be the point of a lot of their interactions.

@chyna Because I have too many long answers of my own and I am not welcome here. Maybe try say what you mean and feel instead of asking cheap rhetorical loaded questions.