The Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah, as it is called, is celebrated in the Hebrew month of Tishri. The words Rosh Hashanah, translate as “head of the year,” or “first of the year.” Unlike the New Year’s celebrations throughout the rest of the world, where there are raucous celebrations and lavish festivities, the Jewish New Year is always tempered by a sense of solemnity and seriousness.

It is a time of reflection, making amends for the past year’s wrong-doings, and making resolutions to right the wrongs of the previous year, and resolving to make changes to improve life. Unlike the wild party celebrations that are so much a part of New Year’s celebrations around the world, the Jewish New Year brings family and loved ones together, for celebrations that take place in the Synagogue, and in the home, where people gather around the dining room table.

Tables are traditionally covered with white table cloths and napkins, because white is believed to symbolize freshness, cleanliness, and newness, and Jews view the New Year as a new beginning. Family and communal gatherings around the table are important to the celebrations. Apples, honey, honey cake, pomegranates, and round Challah are traditional foods. Challah is a sweet egg bread that is usually braided. For Rosh Hashanah, it is made into round loafs to symbolize a circle that doesn’t end.

If you’re going to someone’s house for Rosh Hashanah, remember that the holiday is a time for eating sweets, because sweets are supposed to sweeten the new year. You can never go wrong with a basket full of Gourmet Chocolate.

Another custom, especially in Israel, involves gifts of food baskets. Fruit baskets are always a good bet because sweet fruit is one of the traditional ways of welcoming the New Year. The Gourmet Sampler is full of delightful goodies that are ideally suited to ringing in the New Year.

First Harvest is the perfect host or hostess gift because it celebrates the time of the year with a lush bouquet of different types of mums, mini-carnations, and statice. The Gold Revere bowl the flowers are arranged in is a bright, shiny, new nod to the New Year, and it is something your recipient can continue to use after the holiday. A Croton plant is another long-lasting gift that will brighten a home long after these important holidays are over.