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Cats

Vintage Feline New Year and What Auld Lang Syne Really Means

December 31, 2016 / 44 Comments
If you love cats, sharing makes us purrrr :-)

Vintage-new_year_blackCat_luck

This year we’re itching to bid farewell to 2016 or annus horribilis as many of us are calling it. The New York Times simply called it “the worst year ever”. We’re feeling nostalgic and opting for a old-fashioned Vintage Feline New Year and began wondering what Auld Lang Syne really means.

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The traditional earworm of a song is familiar but I can’t recall more than a couple lines or where it originated from other than Scotland. I did some digging and there’s more to it than poet Robert Burns being credited for writing the poem in 1787. Originally it had nothing to do with New Years but sung on January 25th the celebrate Burns’ birthday. And Burns adapted it from earlier folk song dating back the 14th century. He gets credit because he was the first to publish it. The actual tune is purported to be written by composer William Shield.

The melancholy song is translated from a Scottish dialect. Auld Lang syne means “old long ago for old times sake and “we’ll take a cup of kindness yet” refers to sharing and toasting Scotch whiskey with friends. I’d like to think the cup of kindness is more than a metaphor. We could all use a big cup of compassion this year and appreciate friends old and new, near or far.

Cheers to a purrfectly Happy Mew Year and if it can’t be perfect, we can at least enjoy cats.

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Did you notice what all the vintage and vintage inspired cards share in common? Most contain black cats for good luck. I love that and hope we can take that old tradition and bring it to the 21st century.

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On a modern note: This is a screenshot of some of my Instagram pics of of the last year. 99% cats, what else?

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You can show off your lyric skills tonight by boning up on the easier English translation of Auld Land Syne.

 

English translation

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

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