In many parts of the world, January 1 marks the beginning of the new year. For many people, it’s the culmination of the holiday season and the start of a new beginning. However, have you ever asked yourself why January 1 is New Year’s Day? How did this come to be? Why not other days of the year? In this article, we dig into the origins of the New Year’s Day.
When Was New Year First Celebrated?
New Year was first celebrated in 2000 BCE Mesopotamia when the new moon marked the new year (Akitu) after the vernal equinox in Babylonia. In Assyria, this happened in mid-September, when the new moon was nearest to the autumn equinox. The Egyptians and Phoenicians started the new year on September 21 during the autumn equinox. For the Persians, it was March 21 on the vernal equinox, and the early Greeks celebrated the beginning of the year on the winter solstice, December 21.
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How Did January 1 Become the New Year?
The Romans, using the Romans Republican Calendar, marked the new year on March 1. This calendar followed the lunar system, which had March as the first day of the year. However, because of the misalignment of the celebration of key dates like Easter and leap years, Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar in 46 BCE, which changed the New Year from March to January 1. January was named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings.
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Rise of the Gregorian Calendar
However, the fall of the Roman Empire led to many European Christian nations aligning their calendars to their religious practices. Hence, March 25 (Feast of the Annunciation) and Christmas (December 25) were considered New Year’s Day.
But this meant that the Julian calendar required more changes, as leap years and other celebrations were marked in the wrong season. They could not also determine Easter celebrations. As a result, Pope Gregory XIII revised the calendar, and the Gregorian calendar recognized January 1 as a new year.
Not all countries adopted the Gregorian calendar immediately. It wasn’t until 1752 that Great Britain and its American colonies shifted to this calendar. Although it’s now universally acknowledged, many countries still have their religious calendar. Ethiopia is one of the countries that doesn’t use it as it celebrates its new year, Enkutatash, in September 1.
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Cultural Differences in New Year
In China, the lunar calendar is still followed, and the Chinese New Year is celebrated between January 21 and February 20. The Jewish people celebrate Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, which occurs in the fall. It’s centered around prayers, blowing off the shofar, and self-reflection. In India, Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains mark Diwali as the start of a new year.
In Conclusion
This is the history of how January 1 became the universal New Year’s Day. It’s a significant time which symbolizes the beginning and gives people the chance to reset their personal goals. No wonder it’s marked with a lot of pomp and color around the world, and people are happy to put behind the old and embrace the new. How do you celebrate the new year?
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