Neoannophobia.
That is the word used to describe people who have a deep fear of the new year. There is something about ending one year and beginning another that is frightening. On one hand, we all march forward toward our mortality. On the other hand is looking back and wondering if anything we did really matter? These thoughts we keep to ourselves and perhaps our psychologists.
I can find myself thinking such melancholy thoughts, especially the first couple of weeks after the new year begins.
Part of this I blame on how we seem to end our holiday celebrations. We don’t really officially end these holidays with any sort of ritual ending of things. It is up to the individual to take down the Christmas tree and spool up the lights. Some people do this even before New Year’s Eve. Those odd people are the ones who always leave a concert or church service early. I can’t stand them.
And the businesses, who got us all hyped up right after Halloween with Christmas music, lights and sales are now sated. The reports come in on how it was another banner season of selling. Now, we consumers, consumed once more by these big conglomerates, are left to pay the bills, and figure out what to do with some of the odd things we have been given. What has taken 60 days to get to by the companies is over and done in one day. Something doesn’t add up.
We need to get back to good ol’ Henry VIII. That boy knew how to party and how to end a party. And I don’t mean by hacking off the head of the wife. What I am pointing to is the 12 days of Christmas. By tradition we would get to January 6, the feast of Epiphany in the Christian world. On each of the 12 days, gifts would be given, with a final communal culmination on January 6. Thus, a way into and after New Year’s Day, the hoopla would slowly die down. People would thus be eased into the coming year. We all would have a chance to collectively exhale and enjoy looking forward to taking down the decorations and facing the year together.
Our society has decided that we need to face the new year alone, it seems. And the whole, back to business as usual doesn’t help this feeling. A good ending is more important at times than a good beginning, especially for those of us who hate to see the good times end. So, keep the decorations up, and wish each other a happy January 6, the last day of the holiday season. Make that day, the Official End of the Holidays. Henry VIII would be button-bustlingly proud.