New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome. With most countries using the Gregorian calendar as their main calendar, New Year's Day is the closest thing to being the world's only truly global public holiday, often celebrated with fireworks at the stroke of midnight as the new year starts. January 1 on the Julian calendar corresponds to January 14 on the Gregorian calendar, and it is on that date that followers of some of the Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate the New Year.
New Year's Days in calendars
In cultures which traditionally or currently use calendars other than the Gregorian, New Year's Day is often also an important celebration. Some countries concurrently use the Gregorian and another calendar. New Year's Day in the alternative calendar attracts alternative celebrations of New year.
- Chinese New Year is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is the first day of the lunar calendar. It is celebrated in numerous countries such as Korea, Vietnam, and many other Asian countries that have Chinese heritage or follows the lunar calendar. It can also be seen internationally since the Chinese population is widely spread out. It is celebrated with plenty of good food, lucky red envelopes (filled with money), families, and many things red (which resembles good luck). Lion and dragon dance, drums, fireworks, firecrackers, and other entertainments will fill the streets. It is the favorite holiday for many Chinese adults and children.
- Hindu New Year falls at the time and date Sun enters Mesha on the Hindu calendar. Hindus celebrate the new year by paying respects to their parents and other elders and seek their blessings. They also exchange tokens of good wishes for healthy and prosperous year ahead.
- Islamic New Year moves from year to year because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calender.
- Israel is one country that uses the Gregorian calendar but does not formally celebrate the New Year's holiday — mainly due to objections by religious parties on the holiday's non-Jewish origins.[citation needed] However, there are Israeli Jews who partake in some sort of celebration. The date of the Jewish new year is celebrated on Rosh Hashanah no matter where the location.
- Japanese New Year in Japan is celebrated on January 1 because the Gregorian calendar is now used instead of the Chinese calendar.
- Nowruz which has been celebrated for over 3,000 years, is celebrated and observed by Iranian peoples and the related cultural continent and has spread in many other parts of the world, including parts of Central Asia, South Asia, Northwestern China, the Crimea and some groups in the Balkans. Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in Iranian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday and having significance amongst the Zoroastrian ancestors of modern Iranians, the same time is celebrated in the Indian sub-continent as the new year. The moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and Iranian families gather together to observe the rituals.
celebrations on January 1
Some churches celebrate the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ on January 1, based on the belief that Jesus was born on December 25, and that, according to Jewish tradition, his circumcision would have taken place on the eighth day of his life (which would be January 1). The Catholic Church has also given the name Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God to their holy day on January 1.