New Year’s Day is the first day of the new year on the Gregorian calendar. And is an important festival in many countries and regions of the world. The celebration of that day has a long history and symbolizes the beginning of a new year and new hopes. People make New Year’s resolutions and hope to realize their goals and aspirations in the new year. No matter where you are in the world, New Year’s Day offers a fresh start and a new beginning full of hope.
History of New Year’s Day
The history of New Year’s Day can be traced back to 46 B.C., when the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar, which set January 1 of each year as the beginning of the New Year. This decision marked New Year’s Day as an official holiday. The reform of the Julian Calendar spread throughout the Roman Empire at the time, laying the foundation for January 1 as the first day of the New Year.
With the decline of the Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity, the celebration of New Year’s Day was downplayed for a time. Medieval Europe adopted the ecclesiastical calendar more often, setting the beginning of the New Year on different religious holidays, such as Christmas or Easter.
By 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian Calendar, which again set January 1 as the start of the New Year. This was gradually spread throughout Europe and its colonies, bringing New Year’s Day back as an important holiday.
What Do People Do On This Day?
Many countries will position New Year’s Day as an official holiday. And on this day, people will take a day off to celebrate it.
Holding joint activities is also a custom on New Year’s Day. People get together and celebrate that day by singing and dancing.
Eating a reunion dinner is also a custom on New Year’s Day, more so in China. People like to have a reunion dinner with the whole family on that day.
New Year’s Day Anecdotes From Around the World
In Spain, there is a family reunion on New Year’s Eve. At 12 o’clock, the church bells are used as a signal to compete for grapes. Every time the bell is rung, a grape must be eaten. And you must eat 12 grapes in a row to indicate smooth sailing in the coming year.
In Italy, families will drop something in the house that can be broken to smithereens. It represents to get rid of bad luck and troubles, and to welcome the new year.
In France, before the arrival of the New Year, each family must drink all the remaining wine at home. They believe that on New Year’s Day, if there is still leftover wine at home, the new year will be bad luck.
British New Year’s celebrations, mostly held on New Year’s Eve fire night. This party is divided into “family party” and “group party” two kinds. Late at night on that day, people usually bring cakes and wine to go out to visit friends. Before they talk to each other, they will stir the fire in the fireplace to wish their hosts “good luck”.
On New Year’s Day in Brazil, people usually carry torches and hike up mountains. There is a unique custom in the Brazilian countryside, which is to pull each other’s ears. When people meet on that day, they must pull each other’s ears to express their blessings.
In Switzerland, there is the habit of New Year’s Day fitness. Some of them go in groups to climb the mountain; some in the mountains along the long snowy road skiing; some stilt-walking contest, men and women, old and young, and wish each other good health. Fitness to welcome the arrival of the new year.