Last Updated on August 13, 2021 by
One of the oldest customs of mankind is the celebration of the New Year. How did it begin? Some people say the Chinese were the first to start it, others believe it was the ancient Germans, and still, others claim it was the Romans. We know that the Chinese have always had a great festival at the time of their New Year, which comes later than ours. The Chinese New Year festivals last several days.
The ancient Germans established a New Year festival because of the changing seasons. The German winter began about the middle of November. This was the time when they gathered the harvest. Because everybody came together at this time for the happy occasion, and because it meant they would have a period of rest from work afterward, they would make merry and have a great holiday. Even though it was only November, they considered it the beginning of a new year!
When the Romans conquered Europe, they changed this time of celebration to the first of January. For them, the coming of the New Year was a symbol of starting up a new life with new hope for the future. This custom and this meaning have lasted to this day. We green the New Year happily, hoping it will bring us a good, new life!
Is New Year’s Really In March?
Gregorian Calendar: January 1st Restored.
Why do we celebrate New year on January 1
In most societies around the world, New Year’s Day is celebrated on January 1. The reason behind this is that the Julian calendar was originally developed by Julius Caesar to track the Roman calendar that he and his predecessors used. The Julian calendar divided the year into twelve months and placed the first day of the year in January. However, this system was not universally adopted, so several countries and cultures continue to use the Gregorian calendar, which was developed in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a means to standardize the dating of all Christian holidays.
When did January 1st become the new year?
Answer- Julian Calendar: January 1st Officially Instituted as the New Year. In 46 B.C.
What is the essence of celebrating New Year?
Answer- New Year’s therefore represents a time for rebirth – of moving ahead and forgetting the past.
