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Did you know that the oldest known New Year’s Resolutions (originally called “pledges”) come from the Ancient Babylonians, who started it more than 4,000 years ago?
Not only do we owe our ancient ancestors for the resolution, but apparently they were the first folks known to celebrate the start of a new year, according to The Conversation. Sure, their calendar was a little different to ours — starting in what we now call mid-March — but we continue their traditions to today.
“New year resolutions for the Babylonians were intertwined with religion, mythology, power, and socioeconomic values,” the outlet continued. “The Babylonians are said to have initiated the tradition of a 12-day new year festival called Akitu. Statues of the deities were paraded through the city streets, and rites were enacted to symbolise victory over the forces of chaos.” (POLL: Have You Started Your Holiday Shopping Yet?)
What Did The Babylonians Do?
During this time, the ancient Babylonians threw a festival in which they planted crops, pledged their allegiance to the king, and made promises for the year ahead — mostly to repay debts, the outlet claimed.
The Romans continued the Babylonian tradition years later. Julius Caesar kept up with it when he brought in his new calendar, declaring January 1st as the start of the year. In the millennia to follow, many epochs of human development used the turning of the new year to make pledges, set their allegiances, and start upon new promises of improvement and valor. (POLL: Do You Love Holiday Food?)
Honoring Tradition
While most of us don’t take our New Year’s Resolutions so seriously, they’re also a fun way to start a new year with more meaning. Perhaps you can add some of our polls to your 2025 schedule. Did you know that lawmakers, business leaders, and even public servants use polling data to inform their policies and practices? These might seem like simple questions, but answering them can have far-reaching impacts on the world around you.
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