New Years Eve Fun Facts!

I figured that since New Years is right around the corner it's time for some fun facts.

• Auld Lang Syne was composed by Robert Burns sometime in the 1700's and means "old long ago".
• On New Years 1942-43 the ball in Time Square was not dropped due to wartime restrictions!
• The ball dropped in Time Square weighs about half a ton (1000lbs).
• In Spain the tradition is to eat 12 grapes at midnight, each grape is supposed to represent a month of joy. One for each month of the upcoming year.
• Fireworks and noise-making activities and toys were used since ancient times to bring in the new year because they were thought to ward off eveil spirits.
• According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau more cars are stolen on New Years Eve than on any other day!
• 45% of Americans make New Years resolutions. 25% of those people abandon them by the second week of January.
• Italians wear red underwear on New Years Eve as a symbol of good luck.
• Julius Caesar was the first person to set the first day of the New Year as January 1st.
• Losing weight is the number 1 resolution in America.
• The tradition of using a baby to represent New Years' were the ancient Greeks around 600BC. They would carry around a baby to honor Dionysus, the god of fertility.
• In Brazil most people wear white clothes to represent peace for the upcoming year.
• In Greece, children leave their shoes by the fireplace which they hope that Saint Basil (like Santa) will come fill with candy and gifts.
• In Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Cuba families stuff a life sized male doll full of things from the previous year that have sad or painful memories attached to them. They then dress "Mr. Old Year" up with a piece of each family memebrs clothing then light him on fire the bring in the New Year with no bad memories.
• Paul Revere was born on January 1st.
• The tradition of New Years resolution comes from the ancient Babylonians, their most recorded resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment!
• In Holland, people eat donuts because they are a circle which symbolizes a full circle of life from one year to the next.

Hope you enjoyed my list of random New Years facts. If you can think of anything that should be added up here let me know and I'll be glad to do so!