For me the coming of January is similar to spring cleaning. It’s a time to throw out the old and start fresh and new. I don’t make the traditional list of resolutions (mostly because I seem to have broken everyone of them by March), but I do try not to repeat mistakes made in previous years. I always start off each year in the same way. Attending the largest party I can find with all of my friends!

At midnight we always have several things going on. Fireworks being set off, watching the ball drop on times square, kissing the person closest to you and then singing Auld Lang Syne. I use the term singing loosely because I only know about ten words of the song. Last year we butchered the song so badly that I decided to look it up and see exactly what we were singing and why.

After a bit of research I found that “Auld Lang Syne” is an old Scottish song written sometime in the early 1700’s. Robert Burns is largely credited with writing the version we are familiar with. 

“Auld Lang Syne” is sung at midnight, the start of the New Year, not only in the U.S. but in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada. We also use the song at memorial events.

Most people consider the song to represent an expression of friendship, fellowship, hope and a time to remember the past and the future. Burns was able to present the theme of time passing through remembered friendship. This is especially true on New Year’s when we are thinking equally of the year gone by and looking forward with anticipation for the year to come.

Although the melody of the song is remembered more that the actual words, “Auld Lang Syne”, is one of the better known songs in English speaking countries. So if you are like me and need a refresher or lesson on the actual words – here you go!