She has kept up the tradition of leveeing ever since. "I've gone to them every year," she said. "It's wonderful to see the people that turn out. It's just a cross-section of Islanders in a great way." 'A privilege' The levee is an annual gathering held on New Year's Day. It comes from the French lever, which means to lift or rise. For many, the custom of travelling from place to place on Jan. 1 — shaking hands and enjoying refreshments — signals the start of a new year. "As the French name suggests, the levee has its origins in the elaborate morning rituals of the monarch. To be privy to this portion of the monarch's day was a privilege," UPEI history Prof. Ed MacDonald said in an email.