New Year's Day is the Gregorian calendar's first day of the year. It occurs precisely one week after Christmas Day of the previous year. New Year's Day is a public holiday in all countries that follow the Gregorian calendar, except for Israel. Therefore, it is the most widely observed public holiday worldwide. Some countries also have an additional New Year holiday on January 2. However, governments still use the Julian Calendar to celebrate New Year's Day on January 14. People celebrate with firework displays at midnight in their local time zones on this day.
Celebrating January 1 as New Year's Day is a relatively modern practice. Initially, during the Roman Republic, consuls began their terms on March 15. However, in 153 BC, the start date was changed to January 1, beginning the consular and calendar year on this date. January was named after Janus, the Roman god with two faces, symbolizing transitions. Although the traditional New Year was celebrated in spring, marking the growing season and military campaigns, calendars retained the Roman January-to-December format.
Throughout the Middle Ages, various Christian feast dates marked the New Year, leading to inconsistencies across Europe. William the Conqueror declared January 1 the start of the year in England in the 11th century, but widespread adoption was limited. By 1582, the Roman Catholic Church officially recognized January 1 as New Year's Day, with many Western European countries already observing this date prior to adopting the Gregorian calendar. Britain and its American colonies continued using March 25 until they adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, finally aligning with the January 1 start.
It is common for many people to make New Year's resolutions to start fresh. According to a survey conducted by ComRes, the most common resolutions for the New Year include exercising more (38%), losing weight (33%), and eating healthier (32%). The tradition of making resolutions on New Year's Day dates back 4,000 years to ancient Babylonians. However, unlike today, their year began in mid-March on the first moon after the spring equinox. Historians suggest that the top resolutions for Babylonians were to return borrowed items to neighbours and to pay off debts.
