A New Year...

Spring officially began on Sunday, March 20th, at exactly 4:21pm. This is also a special day for many cultures around the world and for some mark the beginning of a new year. Another reason this day is unique is that the fall and spring equinoxes are the only two times during the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west.

In ancient Mesopotamia, the Sumerians celebrated this day as the beginning of their half year, with the cutting of the barley. On the autumn solstice they would have another festival for the sowing of the barley. These festivals were called Akitu, a Sumerian word for "barley".

In Australia this particular day is a national holiday and also the biggest horse racing event of the year - Spring Racing Carnival.

In Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, the first day of Spring is the beginning of the new year, Nowruz, in the Solar Hajiri Calendar. Nowruz literally means "New Day" in Farsi and is celebrated by decorating eggs, feasting, and other colorful displays, similar to our modern Easter activities. Originally being an ancient Zoroastrian festival it is one of the most important holidays in Iranian culture. The date is calculated every year by the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day.

I want to celebrate the start of the vernal equinox as my New Years day. To me this makes much more sense than our Gregorian Calendar celebration of January 1. The only problem would be that we would have to have two New Years - one for the southern hemisphere and one for the north. Or we could just celebrate on two different dates around the world? No, that wouldn't work! Because of our great continental connection today where people fly from country to country so easily; you would leave 2011 in Amsterdam, but land in 2010 in Cape Town. Too confusing! We already have a universal calendar just like we have universal time.

My vote goes to the first day of Spring becoming the first day of a new year. New babies are created in all species on our lovely planet, flowers start blossoming, it is full of color, and just seems so much more enjoyable. 

Happy New Year!