Why Do We Set New Year’s Resolutions?

Many of us celebrate New Years by setting goals for the coming year, also called ‘resolutions.’ New Year’s resolutions are our attempt at bettering ourselves and improving from the previous year. Resolutions are notorious for being hard to keep, and as many as 92% of people will abandon their goals before the year is over.

Origins of Resolutions

The celebration of New Year’s and the traditions that go along with it has a long and fascinating history. Below are a few things you may not know about New Years:

• The first New Year celebration occurred around 4,000 years ago! It was celebrated in ancient Babylon.
• These ancient Babylonians lacked a physical calendar, so while we aren’t 100% sure when their New Year was, we do know it was in the spring.
• Julius Caesar, who began his reign in 49 B.C., made significant changes to the Roman calendar. One of those changes was making the New Year begin on January 1^st.
• The word “January” originated from the name of Janus, a Roman god. This is because Janus had two faces, one looking forward and one looking back. This symbolizes the New Year, and how we should remember the past, but look forward to the future.

This year, try to improve yourself in a variety of ways. Improve your health, volunteer, and perform random acts of kindness. From all of us at Great Outdoors Pediatric Dentistry, have a Happy New Year!

To make an appointment with our skilled pediatric dentist, please contact our Dover, NH pediatric dental office today!