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History of New Years Eve & Day
Holidays Explained > History of New Years Eve and Day
What is the New Year’s?
The New Year is the day that marks the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. In many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner. With the expansion of Western culture to the rest of the world during the twentieth century, the 1 January date became global, even in countries with their own New Year celebrations on other days (such as China and India).
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What is the history of this holiday?
The celebration of the New Year is one of the oldest holidays. Many believe it was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago it marked the first New Moon after the Vernal Equinox. The Babylonian New Year celebration lasted for eleven days.
The month of January was named for their god, Janus, who is pictured with two heads. One looks forward, the other back, symbolizing a break between the old and new. The Greeks paraded a baby in a basket to represent the spirit of fertility. Christians adopted this symbol as the birth of the baby Jesus and continued what started as a pagan ritual. Today our New Year's symbols are a newborn baby starting the next year and an old man winding up the last year.
Not all countries celebrate New Year at the same time, nor in the same way. This is because people in different parts of the world use different calendars. Long ago, people divided time into days, months, and years. Some calendars are based on the movement of the moon; others are based on the position of the sun, while others are based on both the sun and the moon. All over the world, there are special beliefs about New Year.
How do different cultures celebrate?
The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah. It is a holy time when people reflect on the things done wrong in the past, with a promise to do better in the future. Religious services are held in synagogues, and an instrument called a Shofar, which is made from a ram's horn is played. Children are given new clothes, and New Year loaves are baked and fruit is eaten to remind people of harvest time.
The traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. Making resolutions to change some part of one's life also dates back to the early Babylonians. Today some very common resolutions are people promising to lose weight or to quit smoking.
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How is it celebrated?
Our ancestors thought that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. It has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends.
New Year foods are also thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. Some put coins in black-eyed peas and the person who gets the coin in their meal will be prosperous in the coming year.
At present, the celebration of the New Year is a major event worldwide. Many large-scale events are held in major cities around the world, principally including large fireworks displays on New Year's Eve (31 December). Fireworks, music, other forms of noisemaking, and alcoholic beverages are common elements of the New Year's Eve celebration.
Decorating for this holiday
New Year's Eve is often celebrated with parties and social gatherings spanning the transition of the year at midnight. If you are throwing a New Years party at your place, here are some great tips on decorating for the countdown. We would advise you to use the white string lights you have leftover from Christmas and string these across your ceiling as you would with streamers. Prepare party favors, such as celebratory paper or plastic hats, party horns, “Happy New Year” headbands, balloons, and noisemakers for your guests.
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These are great party items for counting down as your guests could use these party favors to be festive and loud when the clock strikes midnight.
Visit our blog for more tips on how to decorate for the New Year!
A sneak peek into our blog...
Decemeber 30, 2011 ~ Happy Early New Year from Homeseasons! 2012!
Homeseasons and our whole decorating team would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Celebrate the new year with friends and family! Stay safe and have fun! We'll see you guys in 2012! Check back to our blog next year for more holiday and seasonal decorating tips and tricks!
December 29, 2011 ~ 4 Places to Countdown to New Years 2012
Tired of staying in every New Years Eve just to watch the ball drop on TV? Check out our newest blog post for 4 places you can go to ring in 2012! Grab all your friends and join in on all the festivities happening right outside your door! Celebrate 2012 with all your loved ones!
December 28, 2011 ~ Ending 2011 With a Bang! - DIY New Years Eve Balloon Noise Poppers
Bring in the new year with a bang (literally)! Check out our newest blog post for instructions on how you can DIY your own balloon noise poppers for your party! The supplies are easy to find and the instructions are easy! Create a room full of balloon noise poppers for your guests to pop when the clock strikes 12!
December 27, 2011 ~ Let's Get Ready to Ring in 2012!
Christmas may have come and gone, but the holiday season is not over yet! 2012 is fast approaching (in 5 days!), so we have to prepare all our plans, party favors, and decorations to ring in the new year! Check out our newest blog post for a few resolutions our HomeSeasons blog is hoping to keep for 2012!
January 1, 2011 ~ Happy 2 0 1 1 !!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I hope everyone had a blast last night during New Year’s Eve and did not drive home intoxicated! I had a lot of fun myself and am so blessed to be around all my great friends and my family. Goodbye 2010, it has taken us on a lot of journey, through ups and downs.
December 30, 2010 ~ Food for Luck- New Year's Eve
Take a minute from putting on New Years decorations and dig into great food that brings luck! Cultures around the world have different beliefs that eating certain types of food will symbolize good luck for the next year. We have tracked down these interesting practices– maybe you can try eating some of these food and see if your luck becomes even better!
December 27, 2010 ~ Classy New Year's Eve party ideas
Christmas has passed…now time to prepare ourselves for a grand new year’s celebration! I have found some cute New Years decoration ideas and party into 2011 with style. Some of these ideas are also great because you could recycle your Christmas decorations to make these!
