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TIDBITS® CELEBRATES 2025 WITH NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
by Kathy Wolfe
It’s that time again! Time to make New Year’s resolutions, those declarations we pledge toward making a fresh start. This week, Tidbits starts the new year with facts and motivation!
• New Year’s resolutions aren’t anything new, in fact, they’ve been around for about 4,000 years! In 2000 B.C., the Babylonians held a 12-day New Year festival called Akitu, which celebrated the planting of barley. At this time, citizens would reaffirm their loyalty to their king, would promise to pay their debts, and would return all borrowed farm equipment.
• The month of January was named for the Roman god Janus, the god of beginnings, transitions, time, doorways, and endings. Janus had two faces, one that looked forward to new beginnings and one facing backward for reflection and resolution. The ancient Romans would offer sacrifices to the god every new year and make promises of good behavior for the coming year.
• According to legend, during the Middle Ages, medieval knights renewed their vow to chivalry at the end of the year. Knights would gather at a feast and make the “Peacock Vow” by placing their hands upon either a live or roasted peacock, and pledge to uphold the ideals of chivalry, social responsibility, and care of others for the coming year.
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NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
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• An 1813 Boston newspaper contained the first recorded use of the phrase “New Year resolution.” It was done in a humorous manner, citing that people “will sin all the month of December, with a serious determination of beginning the new year with new year resolutions and new behavior, with the full belief that they shall thus expiate and wipe away all their former faults.”
• In the early 1900s, resolutions tended to be religious or spiritual, with a desire for stronger moral character or work ethic. As the decades advanced, resolutions moved toward self-improvement, like losing weight, managing finances, exercising more, and travel.
• A 1947 Gallup poll reported popular New Year’s resolutions to be an improved and more understanding disposition, control of one’s temper, saving more money, going to church more often, and be more efficient and do a better job at work.
• While 62% of Americans say they feel pressured to set resolutions, only about 38% make them every year. About 87% of those say they are at least somewhat likely to keep one or more. About 66% of those who make them plan to make three or more resolutions for the coming year. The largest demographic that sets these goal is young adults aged 18 to 34 – 59% of them have New Year’s resolutions. The top resolution, nearly 50% of those made, is to exercise more. Other top goals include weight loss, improving finances, improving mental health, getting organized, drinking less alcohol, and having a better diet. Fewer people focus on making more time for hobbies, traveling more, or learning a new skill.
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NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
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• Women’s resolutions are focused more on health-related topics, while men’s focus leans more toward their career ambitions or reducing alcohol consumption.
• When resolutions are made, 80% of people feel confident in their ability to keep them.
• Of those whose plan is to exercise more and lose weight, 49% plan on using a fitness app for assistance
• For those who want to improve mental health, a daily gratitude journal has been proven to lift a person’s spirits. Recording three things one is most grateful for at the end of each day places the focus on the little things in life that are sometimes easily missed.
• Rewarding yourself for little steps toward resolutions helps with sticking to them. If the goal is to walk two miles four days a week, after three weeks, the reward of special headphones might sustain the motivation.
• If you’re setting a goal of improving your diet, experts recommend spending 30 minutes a week planning out meals. Research indicates that those who do have better diet quality and a lower risk of obesity than those who just wing it. Cooking at home more is also an excellent way to reach the improved diet aim, as it enables a person to use ingredients they want, and save not only calories, sodium, and added sugar, but lots of money as well!
• The resolution of developing good money habits results in improved mental health and better stress management. Overall life satisfaction is enhanced by creating and sticking to a budget, paying off debt, and building up an emergency fund.
• An attainable New Year’s resolution is to do one thing each day that you don’t want to do. First thing in the morning is a good time to perform that one small act while motivation is fresh
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NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
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• How long does the average resolution last? A Forbes survey found that the intent to keep them lasts two to four months before they’re forgotten. 23% quit in the first week. About 8% stated their resolutions lasted a month, 22% reported two months, another 22.2% said three months, with 13.1% at four months. The average resolution lasts about 3.75 months. Studies report that about 9% of people successfully achieve their January 1 goals.
• Why don’t people keep New Year’s resolutions? One of the biggest factors causing folks to bail is setting unrealistic goals. Fixing an unreasonable amount of weight to lose in the next six months or setting a specific body weight leads people to abandon the objective. A logical goal of what’s attainable boosts the chances of success.
• A concept known as “identity attachment” affects resolution success. If a person allows a resolution to define his/her self-worth, setbacks can discourage progress and motivation and diminish self-worth.
• For those who lack the stamina to keep their resolutions, unofficial dates have been set to celebrate their failure, such as January 17 which has been declared “Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day,” or the second Friday in January denoted as “Quitter’s Day.” There’s also a day set aside to recommit to resolutions. June 1 is unofficially known as “New Year’s Resolution Recommitment Day,” providing the opportunity to hit the reset button on goals.
• “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Twist, Shape and Bake
Bread Bears for a Healthy Treat
Baking bread is just plain fun when your preschoolers can shape prepared dough into adorable bear shapes. Toss in simple math along the way, too, as your pint-sized bakers divide the dough into halves, fourths and even sixths to form the bear's arms, legs and snout. They'll watch the dough rise before their eyes, and they'll love "painting" the bears with an egg wash before you pop them in the oven. Serve them warm, drizzled with some honey from a little pot for a memorable afternoon treat! Here are the simple ingredients you'll need for two 8-inch-tall bears:
One loaf of prepared frozen bread dough, such as the Rhodes brand (available in the frozen-food section of grocery stores)
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water Raisins
Honey (optional)
Here's the fun: Thaw the loaf of frozen bread dough for two 8-inch-tall bears. Use it while it is still cold.
Cut the loaf in half. Set one of the halves aside for a few minutes while you form the first bear. Cut the dough into two even pieces and let your child roll one of the pieces into a ball with their hands. Set it on a large, greased cookie sheet for the body. Press it down to flatten slightly. Cut the other piece in half. Roll one of the halves
into a ball for the head and place it above the body. You may need to pinch the two parts together. Pick off a small bit from the remaining piece for the snout. Cut the rest into 6 even pieces. Roll all 7 small pieces into balls. Place a ball on the face for the snout, 2 ears at the top of the head, 2 arms at the sides of the body, and 2 legs to the bottom of the body.
Make tiny slits in the dough and insert raisins for eyes and for a belly button. Repeat steps for second bear.
Let them rise, covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap, for about 45 minutes in a warm place until they're doubled in size.
Remove covering and brush some egg mixture on top of the bears. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack.
Tip: Make several bears and dress them up with thin ribbons tied around their necks. Set in a basket as treats at a teddy bear party.
TWELFTH NIGHT
Twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping…and a partridge in a pear tree. So goes the familiar holiday tune “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” As those 12 days draw to a close, Tidbits focuses on the Twelfth Night and its significance.
• The Twelve Days of Christmas is the period between December 25 and January 5. It was a time of feasting and celebration in medieval Europe, with each day marking a different religious feast. The Twelfth Night was the grand finale of the festivities, marking the end of the Christmas season.
• Twelfth Night is the commemoration of the arrival of the Wise Men, or Magi, from the East who presented gifts to the infant Jesus. It’s believed that the Magi were members of the Persian priestly caste, guardians of religious and philosophical knowledge. At the time of their journey, there was an expectation that a universal ruler would come from Israel.
• A popular tradition of the time was that of baking a Twelfth Night cake into which a bean or coin was baked. The one who found the treasure, usually a peasant or commoner, in their slice was crowned “King of the Bean,” and would officiate at the celebration. Today, many countries keep the tradition with a king cake, also known as the Three Kings cake, baking a small porcelain baby symbolizing Jesus into the confection.
• Gifts and candies are left for children on the evening of January 5, symbolizing the Magi passing by on their way to Bethlehem.
• According to tradition, on Twelfth Night, all Christmas decorations should be taken down because it’s unlucky to leave them up past this day. If this task is not completed, the decorations have to be left up all year to avoid bad luck.
TWELFTH NIGHT
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• Many folks would write messages above their front door in chalk as blessings for the home. The blessing typically included the letters C, M, and B, that could be the first initials of the three wise men, Caspar, Malchior, and Balthazar, or an abbreviation of the Latin phrase, “Christus mansionem benedictat,” meaning “May Christ bless this house.”
• Wassailing was a common practice of Twelfth Night, with wassailers going doorto-door singing songs and offering blessings for good health, receiving cups of spiced ale or cider for their efforts. “Wassailing” was the actual singing, as evidenced by the holiday carol “Here We Come A-Wassailing,” and the beverages referred to as wassail. Wassail starts with ale or cider and adds cloves, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, cranberries, and sliced oranges and apples. The word has its origins in the Old English phrase “waes hael,” which translates “be in good health.”
• Some individuals in the eastern Alps practice “Perchtenlaufen.” It’s a custom that involves 200-300 young masked men running through the streets with whips and bells to drive away evil spirits.
• The day after Twelfth Night is the feast of Epiphany, referred to some as Three Kings Day. Eastern churches call it Theophany and focus on the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, rather than on the arrival of the Magi. The Greek word “epiphaneia” translates “appearance” or “manifestation,” referring to the revealing of Jesus to the world.
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* Keep medication bottles to hold buttons, spare change or even hand lotion. Be sure to clean well before reusing.
* "Clean foam egg cartons can be stuffed down into boots to keep them from flopping over between uses. If the leg fabric is not heavy, you can even cut one in half. You may use rolledup magazines for this purpose as well."
I.Y. in New York
them in the freezer for about 10 minutes before cooking. They will cook up nice and tender. I have had success with this also when grilling. When putting shrimp on a skewer, I use double skewers, which hold about five shrimp. When I thread the skewers side by side, the shrimp are easier to turn over, and they do not spin on the skewer."
R.R. in Florida
* "Used fabric softener sheets can be used to shine faucets and to clean the tub. I use mine for dusting around the house, too. To keep a steady supply, I put an empty tissue box next to my dryer. When the clothes (and the used sheets) come out, I stuff them down in the box, and they are ready whenever I need one."
B.J.
in Arizona
* A chef's trick to keep cooked spinach green is to make sure the pot is not covered while cooking.
* "When cooking shrimp in a bouillon, put
* To keep cheese blocks moist and mold free, place in a container with a tightfitting lid. Place a piece of napkin dampened with white vinegar in with the cheese.
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