New Year's Day falls on January 1 and marks the start of a new year according to the Gregorian calendar. It marks the end of New Year's Eve celebrations in the United States and gives many Americans a chance to remember the previous year.

The Gregorian calendar is widely used in many countries such as the United States. This was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. The Julian calendar that had been in use until then was slightly inaccurate, causing the vernal equinox to move backwards in the calendar year. The Gregorian calendar was not accepted everywhere and some churches, particularly with origins in Eastern Europe, still use other calendars. According to the Gregorian calendar, the first day of the year is January 1. 

The start of New Year's Day, at midnight, is heralded by fireworks, parties and special events, which are often televised. Very few people have to work on the day itself. For many it is a day of recovery from the New Year's Eve celebrations the previous night. In some towns and cities, parades are held and special football games are played. The birth of the first baby in the New Year is often celebrated with gifts to his or her parents and appearances in local newspapers and on local news shows. Many people make New Year's resolutions. These are usually promises to themselves that they will improve something in their own lives. Common New Year's resolutions are to stop smoking or drinking alcohol, to lose weight, exercise more or to live a healthier lifestyle. 

40 to 45% of American adult make one or more resolutions each year.

Among the top new years resolutions are resolutions about weight loss, exercise, and stopping to smoke. Also popular are resolutions dealing with better money management / debt reduction.

The following shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:
- past the first week: 75%
- past 2 weeks: 71%
- after one month: 64%
- after 6 months: 46%

While a lot of people who make new years resolutions do break them, research shows that making resolutions is useful. People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions.

Make your resolutions and let's get started on a new year.

Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So overweight people are now average… which means, you have met your New Year's resolution.
Jay Leno 

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to.
Bill Vaughan

Happiness is too many things these days for anyone to wish it on anyone lightly. So let's just wish each other a bile-less New Year and leave it at that.
Judith Crist

Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account.
Oscar Wilde 

New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.
James Agate

Hair is composed of 50.65% carbon, 20.85% oxygen, 17.14% nitrogen, 6.36% hydrogen, and 5.0% sulfur. Hair also contains trace amounts of magnesium, arsenic, iron, chromium and other metals and minerals. 

Is it time for a change or to freshen up your style and color. Make your appointment today. NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!
Consultations are always free. 446-1313

I can be available most days and times. Stop by and see what we have to offer you.

We hope all of you had a very merry Christmas. 

The giant gingerbread man my kids made. This went to Nanna and Poppa's house.

The gingerbread cookies my kids made...stockings, trees and snowmen. These went to my mother-in-law's house.

The tree shaped veggie platter we took to our holiday parties. We made two of these.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all though the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that st. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I In my cap
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
and he whistled, and shouted and called them by name.

"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer! Now, Vixen! 
On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount in the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof.
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes, how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe, he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, and right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"

The story of Nativity reiterates the birth of Jesus Christ that happened over two thousand years ago. In the town of Nazareth, there lived a pure young woman named Mary, who was engaged to a poor but good man called Joseph, who was a carpenter by profession. God chose Mary to bear His child and He sent an angel to the Lady to prophesize the birth of the Holy Son through her womb and that she must call him Jesus. Joseph also dreamt the same thing so that he was assured the purity and virginity of Mary. However, all the people were not so kind to Mary and accused her of loose character and called her names. Joseph came to her rescue and married her. 

When Mary was still pregnant, the tyrant Kind Herod ordered all people to go to their birth towns to pay a special tax. Since, Joseph belonged to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph had to undertake a long journey to pay the tax. Mary could not walk far, so she rode on a donkey for a few days over the hills of Galilee. At last, they arrived at Bethlehem. Though, they were very tired and Mary was about to have the baby, it was not easy for them to find a room or a place to stay in the crowded city as every inn was already full of other people who had arrived before them. However, one kind innkeeper, seeing the perils of the couple, offered them a place in his stable where he kept his animals, which was the only place available with him.

Mary and Joseph shaped a crib for the baby by stacking the manger with hay and straw to make Him as comfortable as possible. A few hours later, Mary gave birth to her son and wrapped him in strips of cloth. At the instant, Jesus was born; an angel appeared to some shepherds tending their sheep on the hillside overlooking Bethlehem. He told them not be afraid and the the Son of God and their Savior has now been born. He directed them to the stable where the Holy child was resting in the manger. Shepherds immediately set out to see the baby and were much rejoiced to behold Him there and knelt down full of love for Him and worshiped Him.

At that very instant, the three wise men who were Kings from the East also saw a new star in the sky. They were known as Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. All three understood the special significance of this star after studying their scrolls and took gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh respectively for the new born baby and the new King of the world and set out in search of Him. They came seeking for him to the court of King Herod in Jerusalem, thinking perhaps, they would find him in his palace. They requested to see the child that would be King of the Jews, sending a wave of panic through the tyrant who would leave no stone unturned to save his throne. However, the King tried to deceive them by saying that he knew of no such child and if they found Him, to return to his palace and take him to the child so that he could worship him also.

The men set out again and were guided by the start to the stable in Bethlehem. They were overwhelmed by the divine presence and worshiped Baby Jesus and gave him gifts. In the night, all of them dreamt about an angel warning them about he devious plan of King Herod to kill the Infant and thus, asking them to go straight back to their countries instead of going to Herod's palace. The three wise men dutifully followed the advice of the angel and set out for their homes. Soon after, an angel warned Joseph in his dream that he should immediately leave Bethlehem for Egypt for Herod wanted to kill the Baby. Joseph and Mary set out with Baby Jesus in their hands and safely crossed into Egypt, long before Herod ordered all baby boys in Bethlehem to be killed.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Preparation time: 1 hour.
Chilling time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Cooling time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons each ground ginger and ground cloves
1 teaspoon each baking soda, ground nutmeg and salt
1 cup unsalted butter (not margarine) at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup molasses
1 tablespoon cold water
decorating candies

For the icing:
2 1/2  cups sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water
assorted food colors

Instructions:
1. Mix 3 1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, cloves, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.
2. Cream butter and sugar on high until light yellow and fluffly. Add egg yolks one at a time, then the molasses.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
4. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350°.
6. Use the remaining 1/4 cup flour to roll out half the dough, 1/4 inch thick.
7. Cut out gingerbread people with cookie cutters. Use a spatula to transfer to a grease cookie sheet.
8. Decorate with candies.
9. Whisk eggs whites with water.
10. Bake cookies for 5 minutes then brush lightly with egg whites. Bake 2 to 3 minutes more. 
11. Poke a hole in the top, immediately, if you plan to hang them.Let cool for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling       rack.
12. Repeat with remaining dough.
13. Stir confectioners sugar, vanilla and water to make a stiff icing. Divide and color. 
14. Let one color dry on gingerbread people before piping on the next color.
15. Store cookie in airtight containers for up to two weeks. Do not freeze, icing may crack.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

Children all over the world have traditions of hanging Christmas stockings. In France the children place their shoes by the fireplace, a tradition dating back to when children wore wooden peasant shoes. In Holland the children fill their shoes with hay and a carrot for the horse of Sintirklass. In Hungary children shine their shoes before putting them near the door or a window sill. Italian children leave their shoes out the night before Epiphany, January 5, for La Befana the good witch. And in Puerto Rico children put greens and flowers in small boxes and place them under their beds for the camels of the Three Kings. 

Candy canes are favorites of Christmas decorations among kids. These red and whites J-shaped candies are tasty too. It is said that their origin lies in an event in Cologne Cathedral about two hundred thirty years ago. It was said that one evening, the children were being very loud and noisy at the Church and were not paying attention to the choirmaster. In his efforts to keep them quiet and still for Nativity ceremony, he gave them a long, white, sugar candy stick. Since, giving out chocolates and candies at church was otherwise considered sacrilegious; he bent these sticks on one end to make them look like shepherds' cane who went to worship the Christ on the day he was born and thus, attached a religious significance to them. 

In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant in Wooster, Ohio liked candy canes so much the he put them on his Christmas tree as decorations. The idea soon caught up and became quite a fashion. By 1900, candy canes started coming in red stripes and peppermint flavoring and it was said that the white color was symbolize Christ's purity white the red symbolized the wounds he suffered. The peppermint flavoring was said to represent the hyssop herb described in the Bible for purification. Some other interpret that the 'J' shaped candy cane is not a cane by the letter 'J' that stands for Jesus. Around 1920, Bob McCormack from Georgia started mass-producing candy canes that came to be known as Bob's Candies. Since then, the firm has remained the most popular candy-cane manufacturer company in the world.