New Year – Significance, Legends and Celebration!

New Year is the first day or time at which a new calendar year begins. This is an English Gregorian calendar that starts from 1st January (New Year’s Day) every year. All folks from children to elder celebrate its as Happy New Year around the world. The 1st day of January is often marked as a national holiday.

In various countries, People observe their traditional or religious New Years Day according to their own customs and tradition, sometimes in addition to a (Gregorian) civil calendar. India and other countries continue to celebrate New Year on different dates.

In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system today, New Year occurs on January 1 (New Year’s Day). This was also the first day of the year in the original Julian calendar and the Roman calendar (after 153 BC).

Generally, in several countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on 31st December (New Year’s Eve – the last day of Gregorian calendar) and continue till the early hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day). New Year’s festivities include events, parties, enjoying New Year’s special food (Communities Specific), seeing New Year specific fireworks show and making resolutions for the New Year.

Legends and History of New Year’s Celebration:

The ancient history of New Year’s Day states that the initial recorded festivities in honor of a new year’s arrival date back some 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. For the Babylonians, the first new moon following the vernal equinox—the day in late March with an equal amount of sunlight and darkness—indicated the start of a new year. They marked the occasion with a huge religious festival called Akitu (derived from the Sumerian word for barley, which was cut in the spring) that involved a different ritual on each of its 11 days.

As per legends, Atiku festival celebrated the legendary victory of the Babylonian sky god Marduk over the evil sea goddess Tiamat and served a significant political purpose: It was during this time that a new king was crowned or that the current ruler’s divine mandate was symbolically renewed.

Why is 1st January celebrated as New Year’d Day?

Initially Roman calendar comprised of 10 months and 304 days, with each New Year beginning at the vernal equinox; as per the tradition, it was developed by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in the eighth century B.C. A later king, Numa Pompilius, is credited with adding the months of Januarius and Februarius. Over the centuries, the calendar fell out of sync with the sun, and in 46 B.C. the emperor Julius Caesar decided to solve the problem by consulting with the most well-known astronomers and mathematicians of his time. He introduced the Julian calendar, which closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that most countries around the world use today.

As part of his reform and contribution, Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, partially to honor the month’s namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. Romans celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, beautifying their homes with laurel branches and attending raucous parties. In medieval Europe, Christian leaders temporarily replaced January 1 as the first of the year with days carrying more religious importance, such as December 25 (the anniversary of Jesus’ birth) and March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation); Pope Gregory XIII reinstated January 1 as New Year’s Day in 1582.

New Year’s Tradition and Celebration:

Every person around the world celebrate New Year with fervor and optimism by wishing each other for successful and prosperous New Year.

As we all feel that 2020 was a nightmare for everyone around the world due to pandemic and still is facing a lot of restrictions in life due to its threatening trait. However, amid all this, every optimistic person is welcoming 2021 with great fervor and optimism by leaving behind all negativity and sorrow.

This year, people are celebrated New Year at home with their near ones or celebrating outside with taking all precautions and following restrictions due to pandemic.

Happy New Year: Best Wishes, Innovative Greetings, Quotes/Messages, Photos to Share:

Here, you find to share Happy New Year related Best Wishes, Innovative Greetings, Quotes/Messages, Photos to share with your near ones.