New Year’s Day is the first day of the year, celebrated on January 1 in most countries around the world. It is a time for people to reflect on the past year, make resolutions for the coming year, and celebrate with friends and family.
The celebration of New Year’s Day has ancient origins and has been celebrated by various cultures and civilizations throughout history. The earliest recorded celebration of the New Year was by the ancient Babylonians over 4,000 years ago, who held a 11-day festival in late March to mark the beginning of a new year.
The Romans also celebrated the New Year, which was originally celebrated on March 1. In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar introduced a new calendar, which moved the start of the year to January 1. This date was chosen in honor of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, who is often depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions, symbolizing the past and the future.
The celebration of New Year’s Day continued to evolve over time, and has been marked by various traditions and customs, such as the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” at midnight, fireworks displays, and the dropping of the New Year’s ball in Times Square in New York City.
Today, New Year’s Day is celebrated around the world with many different traditions and customs, but the focus remains on new beginnings, hope, and the opportunity to start fresh in the coming year.
New Years History
- Year the concept of New Years was first celebrated: 2000 BC in Mesopotamia
- Year that January 1 was first recognized as the start of the new year: 1522 in Venice
- Year that January 1 was adopted as the beginning of the new year by the Roman Catholic Church: 1582
- Year Auld Lang Syne was written: 1788 (as a poem by Robert Burns)
- Year the first College Football bowl game was played on New Years Day: 1902 (Michigan vs Stanford)
- Year the first ball dropped in Times Square: 1907
- First official Rose Bowl game: 1923
- Year the first Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve aired on TV: 1973
- Year Dick Clark retired and Ryan Seacrest took over: 2006 (Clark missed 2005, but had not retired yet)
- Year the Times Square ball switched to LED: 2008
- Year the first NHL Winter Classic game was played: 2008
New Years Facts and Stats
Day recognized as New Year:
January 1st
Major countries that celebrate the New Year on a date other than January 1:
China, India, Israel (although all three hold New Year’s Eve celebrations)
Chinese New Year Facts and Stats Can Be Found Here.
The first location to celebrate the New Year:
The Line Islands in Kirbati
Last Place to Enter the New Year:
Baker Island, an uninhabited U.S. territory in the Pacific
Since there is a 25 hour difference in time zones, when the New Year is first celebrated, it is still 11pm local time on American Samoa
Times Square New Years Eve Facts and Stats
Number of people who attend the Times Square ball drop each year:
about 1 million
Amount of confetti used in Times Square:
At midnight, about 3,000 pounds of confetti are released over Times Square.
Amount of trash left in Times Square after the New Years Eve celebration:
about 50 tons
New Year’s Resolutions
Approximately 38.5% of U.S. adults set New Year’s resolutions each year.
The top resolutions include exercising more (48%), eating healthier, and losing weight.
Only about 9% of people successfully keep their New Year’s resolutions.
New Year’s Eve Spending
65% of Americans spend at least $50 on New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Over 360 million glasses of sparkling wine are consumed in the U.S. each New Year’s Eve.
Safety and Incidents
During the New Year’s Day holiday period, an estimated 40% of traffic fatalities involve an alcohol-impaired driver.
New Year’s Day is among the top five days for car thefts, with nearly 2,500 vehicles stolen on January 1 each year.
Cultural Traditions
“Auld Lang Syne”, often sung at midnight, translates to “times gone by.”
In the Southern United States, consuming black-eyed peas, ham, and cabbage on New Year’s Day is believed to bring prosperity.
Major cities worldwide, such as Sydney, London, and Dubai, host elaborate fireworks shows to ring in the New Year.