by Amy McGarry
It’s that time of year. New year, new beginnings. A fresh start. Resolutions to do better, be better. It seems like everyone makes New Year’s resolutions. I know I always do. So, I was surprised to learn from Pew Research Center that only three out of 10 of us actually made resolutions for the new year in 2024. Less surprising was that the majority of resolution-makers are younger people, with half being under the age of 30. That was no surprise to me because, while I still make resolutions now that I’m in my 50s, these resolutions are much less ambitious than they used to be.
When I was in my 20s, my New Year’s resolutions were bold. Exercise for one hour five days a week. Eliminate all junk food from diet.Lose 20 pounds. Wake up at 5 a.m. every day.
As I got older, I learned a few things and my priorities changed. I learned that my grand steps for change were setting me up for failure. I almost never kept my resolutions. So, I was further surprised to learn from Pew that only 13% did not stick with any of their resolutions for a month. (I usually stopped the exercise habit after day three and started eating junk food after a week.)
It was no surprise, however, that the vast majority (almost 80%) of resolutions have to do with health, followed closely by money or finances. But New Year’s resolutions have changed over time. The Old Farmer’s Almanac shared a comparison of the top 10 resolutions from today and from the 1940s.
Today’s Resolutions
1. Lose weight
2. Get organized
3. Spend less, save more
4. Enjoy life to the fullest
5. Stay fit and healthy
6. Learn something exciting
7. Quit smoking
8. Help others fulfill their dreams
9. Fall in love
10. Spend more time with family
Compare these current popular resolutions to 70 years ago.
Resolutions From 1947 – Gallup Poll
1. Improve my disposition, be more understanding, control my temper
2. Improve my character, live a better life
3. Stop smoking, smoke less
4. Save more money
5. Stop drinking, drink less
6. Be more religious, go to church more often
7. Be more efficient and do a better job
8. Take better care of my health
9. Take a greater part in home life
10. Lose (or gain) weight
Losing weight was much less popular then, while improving behavior took the top seat. As I looked much farther back in history, I was surprised again, this time to find that the first known New Year’s resolution was to…wait for it…return farm equipment.
Historians believe New Year’s resolutions started with the ancient Babylonians 4,000 years ago. Starting around 2000 B.C., they were also the first to record celebrations to honor the new year. However, their new year began in mid-March, when crops were planted.
The ancient Babylonians celebrated the new year during a 12-day festival called Akitu. During this festival, they crowned their king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the reigning king. They also made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects they had borrowed. The Babylonians believed if they kept their promises to the gods, they would be rewarded in the coming year. If they didn’t keep their promise, they would be punished. Historians consider these new year promises the precursor to our New Year’s resolutions, minus the rewards and punishments – fortunately for me, with my history of broken resolutions.
Two thousand years later, we see another example of ancients making New Year’s resolutions. However, the Romans changed the date of the New Year to January 1. In 46 B.C., when the Julian calendar was adopted, naming January for the two-faced Roman god Janus. One of Janus’ faces looks forward, facing new beginnings. The other face looks backward for reflection and resolution. The Romans offered sacrifices to Janus and made promises of good behavior for the year ahead.
For me, January 1 was never a logical time to start a new year and focus on new beginnings. The Babylonian’s springtime New Year makes much more sense to me. However, the founder of The Old Farmer’s Almanac had a good explanation in regards to 19th century American farmers.
Robert B. Thomas said, this is a time “of leisure for farmers…settle accounts with your neighbors…now having been industrious in the summer, you will have the felicity of retiring from the turbulence of the storm to the bosom of your family.” Most interestingly here, is the reference to settling accounts with neighbors, harkening back to the Babylonian New Year’s tradition.
Medieval knights of the Middle Ages had another unique take on New Year’s resolutions. They would renew their vow of chivalry by placing their hands on a peacock. The knight’s “Peacock Vow” took place at the end of every year as a resolution to uphold their knightly values and behavior.
These historical promises sound a lot like resolutions, but the first recorded use of the phrase “New Year resolution” doesn’t appear until 1813 in a Boston newspaper.
The article states:
“And yet, I believe there are multitudes of people, accustomed to receive injunctions of new year resolutions, who will sin all the month of December, with a serious determination of beginning the new year with new resolutions and new behavior, and with the full belief that they shall thus expiate and wipe away all their former faults.”
Even as I write this in December 2024, I can admit I have been indulging in sweets and goodies, knowing I can start anew with healthier eating on January 1. (More likely January 2, because what’s New Year’s Day football without snacks?)
As we can see in the top 10 resolutions from 1947, resolutions in the early 1900s tended to be religious or spiritual, reflecting a desire to develop stronger moral character and work-ethic, and an emphasis on family life.
Despite the tradition’s religious roots, New Year’s resolutions today are a mostly secular practice. Instead of making promises to the gods, most people make resolutions only to themselves with a focus on self-improvement. As noted earlier, in the first month, nearly 80% of people say they keep their resolutions. Of course, over the course of the year, that number takes a deep dive, with only 8% sticking to their resolutions and achieving their goals.
The good news is, unlike the Babylonians, most of us won’t worry about divine punishment for failing to lose 20 pounds or saving money. If you’re like me, you might feel a bit disappointed if you break your resolution. Then tell yourself, “It’s alright. There’s always next year!”
I have an even better plan this year, though. I don’t have any farm equipment to return, but I’m going to scour my cupboards for Tupperware and serving dishes that may have been left behind at my house from dinner parties throughout the year. I’m going to look through my bookshelves and find any books I’ve borrowed and neglected to return. I’m even going to make my husband search the garage for the tools I know he’s borrowed from buddies. This year we’re going to follow the Babylonian’s lead and resolve to return everything we borrowed the year before. Oh, and I am going to try to be a better person, too. It’s much easier than losing 20 pounds, and more rewarding.
Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2025!
Amy McGarry grew up in Spokane Valley, Washington. After a 20 year hiatus, she moved back to Spokane Valley where she lives with her husband, daughter and two cats. She is the author of I am Farang: Adventures of a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand available on Amazon.com, Auntie’s Bookstore, and Barnes and Noble.
