In many countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on the evening of December 31—New Year’s Eve—and continue into the early hours of January 1. Revelers often enjoy meals and snacks thought to bestow good luck for the coming year. In Spain and several other Spanish-speaking countries, people bolt down a dozen grapes-symbolizing their hopes for the months ahead-right before midnight. In many parts of the world, traditional New Year’s dishes feature legumes, which are thought to resemble coins and herald future financial success; examples include lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern United States. Because pigs represent progress and prosperity in some cultures, pork appears on the New Year’s Eve table in Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Portugal and other countries. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries, a sign that the year has come full circle, round out the feast in the Netherlands, Mexico, Greece and elsewhere. In Sweden and Norway, meanwhile, rice pudding with an almond hidden inside is served on New Year’s Eve; it is said that whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune.

Other customs that are common worldwide include watching fireworks and singing songs to welcome the New Year, including the ever-popular “Auld Lang Syne”. The practice of making resolutions for the New Year is thought to have first caught on among the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off on the right foot. (They would reportedly vow to pay off debts and return borrowed farm equipment.)

In the United States, the most iconic New Year’s tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City’s Times Square at the stroke of midnight. Millions of people around the world watch the event, which has taken place almost every year since 1907. Over time, the ball itself has ballooned from a 700-pound iron-and-wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds now constructed of iron aluminum and Waterford Crystal. Various towns and cities across America have developed their own versions of the Times Square ritual, organizing public drops of items ranging from pickles (Dillsburg, Pennsylvania) to possums (Tallapoosa, Georgia) at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

It is believed that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions, and people all over the world have been breaking them ever since. The early Christians believed the first day of the New Year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year.

Noisemaking and fireworks on New Year’s eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck. The Chinese are credited with inventing fireworks and use them to spectacular effect in their New Year’s celebrations.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER

REDLANDS AND RIVERSIDE

P.T. McEwen

1251 Clay Street

Redlands, CA  92374

Phone:  798-4599

 

CORNER BAKERY CAFÉ

Kristi Smith

402 North Orange Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  801-3962

 

COVENTRY PET RESORT & TRAINING CENTER

Deborah Salow

412 Tennessee Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  792-1163

 

DARBY’S AMERICAN CANTINA

Jon Darby

One State Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  792-2119

 

FREEMAN OFFICE PRODUCTS

Tim Derryberry

123 South “D” Street

San Bernardino, CA  92401

Phone:  387-1108

 

HAMPTON INN & SUITES

Tasha Howe

27959 Highland Avenue

Highland, CA  92346

Phone:  862-8000

 

INLAND CENTER MALL

Terri Reif

500 Inland Center Drive

Sam Bernardino, CA  92408

Phone:  884-7268

 

ISU BARICH INSURANCE

George Barich

408 E. State Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-9683

 

KIMBERLY CREST HOUSE & GARDENS

Tonja Blankenship

1325 Prospect Drive

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  792-2111

 

LAW OFFICE OF JEFFREY S. RAYNES

Mitchell Raynes

300 E. State Street, Suite 690

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-6800

 

MAIDS 2000

Chanel Eren

80 Alabama Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-1493

 

MILLER ARCHITECTURAL CORPORATION

Gary Miller

1177 Idaho Street, Suite 200

Redlands, CA  92374

Phone:  335-7400

 

MUFFIN TOP BAKERY

Emile Maamari

233 E. State Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  792-9911

 

NORMAN D. MATHIS, DDS

Dr. Norman Math 508 Cajon Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-2024

 

P & R PAPER SUPPLY

Joseph Maiberger

1898 E. Colton Avenue

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-1493

 

PCH ARCHITECTS, LLP

Greg Chapman

30 So. Center Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  792-7397

 

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS PROF ORGANIZING

Cathy Bates

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  810-3719

 

PROVIDENT BANK

Marina Guadarrama

125 E. Citrus Avenue

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-2992

 

RCS-ACA-J.K.-12

Willie Guida

105 Tennessee Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-0601

 

REDLANDS DENTAL GROUP

Lisa Chatwood

422 Orange Street

Redlands, CA  92374

Phone:  792-7500

 

REDLANDS JEWELERS

Brian Ahlers

1 North 5^th Street

Redlands, CA 92373

Phone:  792-4016

 

REDLANDS REAL ESTATE EXCHANGE

Dora Waters

P. O. Box 8111

Redlands, CA  92375

Phone:  793-2825

 

REDLANDS SPINE & SPORT

Michael Donia DC

219 E. Olive Avenue

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-2225

 

REDLANDS WEB DESIGN

Martin Walker

1255 W. Colton Avenue

Redlands, CA  92374

Phone:  509-4051

 

SELAH SOUNDTHEOLOGY CHRISTIAN STORE

Les Spoelstra

415 Tennessee Street

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  792-2175

 

SERVPRO OF S. REDLANDS-YUCAIPA

Steve Sclimenti

Fontana, CA  92336

Phone:  389-6310

 

SPLASH KINGDOM & BIG AIR TRAMPOLINE

Lianne Leiss

1101 No. California Street

Redlands, CA  92374

Phone:  335-7275

 

STAR AUTO PARTS

Ed Rivera

535 W. Redlands Blvd

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-2168

 

TIRE GUYS – GOODYEAR

Ed Ferguson

1631 W. Redlands Blvd

Redlands, CA  92373

Phone:  793-1639

 

WHITEFROG DESIGN, LLC

Matt Leeds

1030 Nevada Street, Suite 100

Redlands, CA  92374

Phone:  748-1525

 

 

 

 

Visiting Nurses Association California they are here to help

VNA California provides home health, palliative and hospice services when in-home care is needed or preferred. They serve patients, their caregivers and families throughout the Riverside and San Bernardino, and North San Diego Counties of Southern California. Their professional services also include extensive outreach education and charitable support for the communities we serve. Because they are non-profit, they are committed to helping anyone who needs our assistance.

VNA defines their scope of services in response to the changing needs of patients, physicians and the communities they serve and remain in the forefront of the latest medical advances and delivery procedures. VNA California is one of the largest in-home care providers in Southern California, offering a full continuum of care for patients, including Home Health, Palliative, Hospice and Bereavement services.

What distinguishes VNA most is their commitment to providing exceptional care for patients, who become like family, and to developing relationships of trust with physicians. They support their Care Plans with an experienced team of nurses and specialists, including a Medical Director at each VNA California location.

Every patient deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion and the best care possible. That was the VNA mission in the beginning and remains so today and for the future.

To learn more about the services offered by the VNA contact the Redlands office at 1861 W. Redlands Boulevard, Building 7B; Home Health: 951-769-1419 / Fax 951-769-9873 Hospice: 951-845-8439 / Fax 951-769-1038.

Some Things Never Change

Time for a bit of history about Redlands and the Chamber of Commerce.  We all have heard about President McKinley’s historic visit to Redlands in 1901.  Recently I learned about the role the Redlands Chamber of Commerce played in that visit.  Back then the C of C was called the Redlands Board of Trade.  At that time they resided in the Phinney Block building on a six month lease for $35 a month.  Things were good in 1901.

On the second floor of the Chamber offices, you may have noticed a leather chair in the southeast corner.  This chair was made by the Board of Trade specifically for President McKinley to use during his visit.  He sat in this chair while attending a Board of Trade meeting at the Phinney Block building.  Next time you sit in that chair, know that you are sitting in a bit of history.  McKinley was particularly important to Redlands, since his tariff on imported oranges helped the local industry.

Now the title of this article is “Some Things Never Change”.  As part of my research on the McKinley visit, I reviewed the minutes from the Board of Trade.  It turns out that they were dealing with many of the same problems then that we have now.  Here is a summary of a few items.

Roads were a big concern, probably even more so than now.  Since the streets were dirt, there is frequent mention of the need to sprinkler them for dust control.  When the President came to town they upped the anti to oiling rather than sprinklering.

Just like today, they had a Government Review Committee (then called the Committee on Law and Legislature).  In 1901 they were reviewing an ordinance to maintain vacant lots.  This included looking at similar ordinances in Los Angeles and Denver for comparison.  Also on their plate was the review of City Bonds to purchase the Yucaipa Ranch Property for a municipal water supply.

Tourism was on their minds as well.  Redlands called itself the “Land of Flowers” and the “Naval Orange Capital of the World”.  They sent had over 5000 tourism booklets printed, and sent 2000 to the Tourist Information Bureau of Los Angeles for distribution.

Of course there was the task of keeping the Board of Trade operating.  This included paying the electric bill (yes, we had electricity then).  I’m guessing there was not a Night Light Run.  If so, I would have seen another reference to sprinklering the streets.

I am told this pattern of Chamber work goes back even further.  In 6000 BC the Mesopotamia Chamber of Commerce was also addressing road conditions.  I wonder what their GRC had on their agenda.  I’m assuming they did not have to worry about paying the electric bill though.

Have a great Holiday and a Happy New Year!

 

President McKinley in Redlands, 1901.  Note the flowers and fabulous streets.