Last year around this time, I wrote about the history of New Year’s traditions and the folkloric battle of darkness and light. This year I have more prosaic concerns . . . like how effective are all these traditions, anyway? 😉 Well, according to numbers scoured from the internet:
- 44% of Americans habitually make New Years resolutions;
- Of those, 31% stick with their new resolutions all year;
- And of those who don’t stick with their resolutions, 81% give up before February!
Not a very pretty picture! This is where most advice columns will tell you to stick with something small and reasonable if you want it to be a resolution that sticks. Well, around here, I’m making that effort–for example, on these “Fun Fact” blog posts this year, you’ll notice a few minor changes: some new pictures, for example, or a new segment each month where I review a nonfiction book on folklore, alchemy, or some other related field. (I’m especially excited for that one, because it will make me read through the pile of “research material” sitting by my desk!) And between now and February, you may notice a lot of love- and café-themed Fun Facts, as I get ready for the launch of a new series! (And if you’re curious about that, just stay tuned: more next week. 😀 ).
So, I suppose in this case, I’m not letting the facts get me down. I hope you are similarly motivated–or content with sticking to non-resolution traditions!
Selected Sources
There’s all sorts of articles about New Year’s Eve on the internet, but for a quick and fun global look at the topic, this article from K-International is pretty good. And for more stats, LifeProtect’s blog actually has a concise review here!
