For the modern person, New Years likely involves a late-night party, a ball dropping, a kiss and a few resolutions. Yet while this modern tradition is currently dominant, it is only a single tradition in the oldest of all holidays. So while the date of New Years has often been disagreed upon, the celebration of the new year is nearly universal.
Before the date of January 1st was chosen by the Roman senate in 153 BC, the Babylonians had been celebrating it near the vernal equinox since about 4000 BC. This date of the beginning of spring is, in many ways, more logical as the beginning of the year. To celebrate this date, Babylonians had celebrations that lasted 11 days and would make the modern celebrations look quite restrained.
For the western world, New Years is a much more recent holiday. For much of the middle ages, the Christian Church opposed the celebration of New Years as a pagan holiday. This means that in the west, the New Year has only really been celebrated for four hundred years. Still, the most notable of the traditions, that of resolutions, dates back to the early Babylonians. Attempts to bring luck to the New Year are also common worldwide and vary from parties, kissing and the eating of ring-like food, such as donuts.
While much of the world has fully accepted the Julian calendar, China continues to observe its own New Year as the most important of its holidays. The exact date varies on the Julian calendar, but it is generally in January or February. Its celebrations include Lion and Dragon dances, fireworks and an annual reunion dinner.
There are many other New Years traditions around the world. The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Hindu holiday of Diwali and Islamic day of Al Hijra each have their varied and important traditions. Yet in nearly every one of these traditions, the basic idea of rebirth and beginning new is vital to the celebration, and at its core that idea of a fresh start is what unites the various new year traditions.
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It's not just about the Times Square ball drop. New Year's traditions actually stem from many different cultures. |
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While New Years traditions have become contemporary staple in the holiday season, the history of New Year's resolutions dates back about 4,000 years. |
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Since Pope Paul VI first proposed a World Peace Day in 1967, nations have increasingly recognized Jan 1 as a day of sharing, hope and peace. |
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Parties on New Year's Day typically happen either late morning for brunch (otherwise known as a "Hangover Party"), or in the afternoon for the football game. |
