The calendar is about to flip from 2025 to 2026, which means it is time to make our New Year’s resolutions.
The practice dates back to 2,000 B.C.E., when the Babylonians celebrated with a 12-day springtime festival called Akitu. However, it was the ancient Romans who first observed Jan. 1, celebrating by giving offerings to the month’s namesake, Janus — the two-faced god of beginnings and endings — and giving auspicious gifts to their loved ones.
One of the earliest mentions of the concept of “New
Year’s resolution” in the post-Classical era came in a diary entry made by English writer Anne Halkett on Jan. 2, 1671, titled “Resolutions.” One of the first appearances of the full phrase was in a Boston newspaper in 1813, according to Merriam-Webster.
That brings us into the modern era, with the event being celebrated globally as each time zone enters the new year, accompanied by lavish displays such as the Times Square Ball in New York City.
Here at Bless You Boys, we are looking to make resolutions not for ourselves, but for our beloved Detroit Tigers as they head into a new season. Let us know in the comments below what you think the franchise should resolve to do in an effort to bring a World Series title back to the D.
