Pagan Blog Prompts - New Year

For many Pagans, the ‘new year’ comes around Samhain. For the rest of the world, the ‘new year’ starts a new calendar, with January 1^st. 

What is your personal take on the ‘new year’?  Do you honor the change in Oct-Nov, or do you wait?

Personally, I do see Samhain as the end of one year, but I don’t see the new year beginning until the winter solstice. From Samhain to Yule, we’re sort of between years and the veil is still thin.  For me the rebirth of the sun god in all his glory is the start of the new year.  I observe it then and I also do a little celebration on Dec. 31. I like to observe the solstice by watching the sun rise the morning after the longest night of the year. 

This year, however, my boyfriend will be working on both Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, so we are going to have a little celebration on Saturday.  Of course, it has more than one purpose. 

I will be celebrating the birth of Richard Clare “Rick” Danko, born December 29, 1943, died December 9, 1999.    We will have won ton soup, mocha silk pie, and strawberry shortcake Jell-O shots.  

For January 1 or 2 (my boyfriend doesn’t have to work on the 2), I am going to make a meal that consists of pork and cabbage. Pork and cabbage (usually sauerkraut – bleak!) are eaten in my family on New Year’s Day for good luck and prosperity in the coming year.  I believe I will combine that with the Chinese New Year (in February) and make some sesame pork meatballs and Napa cabbage.