New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day:
New Year’s Day, marked on January 1, is the date that marks the beginning of the Gregorian calendar. This day is a public holiday celebrated in most countries.
Year | Date | Day | Where |
2022 | 1st January | Saturday | United States |
2023 | 1st January | Sunday | United States |
2023 | 1st January | Monday | United States |
Twitter Hashtags:
#NewYear’sDay
Related: Other National Days Celebrated on January 1st:
Why New Year’s Day?
January 1 marks the beginning of the New Year and it is a day that people celebrate with a lot of joy and optimism. People use this day to identify the areas of change they need to focus on during the year. It is also a day when people become hopeful of what lays ahead. Since this day marks a new beginning, it is celebrated by many people across the world and it is a national holiday in most countries including the U.S.
How can we celebrate New Year’s Day:
Some things to do to celebrate the New Year’s Day include:
- Launch fireworks
Ushering in the New Year is marked with magnificent firework displays. Fireworks are usually launched in areas of celebrations such as parks, hotels, and restaurants. However, you can also have your own firework display from the comfort of your home. A firework display is only effective when done as soon as the New Year reaches.
- Host a party
One of the things for you to do on New Year’s is to host a party for your friends and family. New Year’s is a day for celebration, which means that the best way for you to celebrate it is by hosting a party. You can host a small party in your home or go out for a lavish celebration. You can also engage in some fun activities with the party guests to make this holiday even more memorable.
- Write down your New Year resolutions
One of the best things about a New Year is that it gives you a platform for a new beginning. To this end, you can write down New Year resolutions that you can follow in order to remain vigilant throughout the year. Some of the most common resolutions among people include starting a healthy diet plan, exercising, becoming more focused, and more. When writing down your resolutions, the best way is to focus on the areas in your life that you need to improve on and structure your resolutions in a manner that will help you overcome the challenges preventing you from reaching your goals.
- Engage in an outdoor activity
It is also great to start New Year’s outdoors. You can spend the day hiking, skiing or by going on a simple picnic. Engaging in outdoor activities will help your mind and body to start a New Year on a fresh note. Besides, it will be a great opportunity for you to do some of the things that you have always wanted to do. Outdoor activities are more fun when you go with your family and friends. Taking some photos and videos will make the day more memorable.
- Recover from the celebrations of the previous night
Most people usher in the New Year with hangovers that are caused by celebrations on the previous night. In this case, the best way for you to start the year would be by staying indoors and making hangover relief drinks such as a Bloody Mary. You can also drink lots of water or take pain relievers that will make you sharp for work the following day. If you do not have a hangover, you can also prepare these relief drinks for the people you live with as a way of starting the year by showing concern.
- Go to a religious place
Some people also prefer to start the New Years by going to a religious place such as a church, mosque, or a temple. This is the ideal way for people who are spiritual and who want to start the New Year full of hope and fulfillment. Most areas of worship are usually open on New Year’s.
- Post on social media
Once you have taken part in this day’s celebrations, the other way for you to share this day with others is by posting on social media. You can use the hashtag #NationalYearsDay to share the various activities that you engaged in on this day.
Interesting Facts about New Year’s Day:
Some of the most interesting facts one needs to learn about New Year’s include:
- The first New Year’s celebrations were held around 4000 years ago. After Julius Caesar picked this day to mark the beginning of the year, Romans began celebrating their god Janus by giving each other gifts and decorating their homes.
- At least 45% of Americans write down resolutions on New Year’s. The resolutions that most people write down on this day include losing weight and adopting healthier lifestyles. However, 25% of people who write resolutions stop following them in the first month.
- Baby New Year is the symbol used for this day. This symbol features a baby in a basket, who was paraded in the early Greece days as a way of celebrating the god of fertility. The baby also shows new beginnings that come with the start of every year.
- The first New Year celebration on Times Square was held in 1904. People gathered in the square to celebrate the launch of the New York Times building. This celebration attracted more than 200,000 people.
- More than 360,000 million glasses of wine and champagne are drunk by Americans on New Years as a way of celebrating this day.
History of New Year’s Day:
January 1st became New Years after Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar by adding the months of January and February. Caesar then picked January 1 to be the first day of the yea. This name of the first month corresponded with the name ‘Janus’ the Roman god who marked new beginnings. On this day, Romans would celebrate by gifting each other, decorating homes, and partaking in various celebrations. Early Christian leaders from Europe attempted to revise this date and instead use days that has religious significance such as December 25 or March 25. However, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII reinstated January 1 as New Year’s Day. The celebrations for this day have taken place on this day ever since.