Why the New Year Begins on January 1 - Ep1

Why do we celebrate the beginning of the new year on January 1? We
can thank Julius Caesar who in 45 BC proclaimed the Roman Empire
would adopt the Julian Calendar, which identified January 1st as
the beginning of the new year.

By the time Julius Caesar assumed office, it was clear the
traditional lunar based Roman calendar in use since the seventh
century BC no longer was sufficient. Caesar enlisted help from a
renown Alexandrian astronomer who urged the adoption of a solar
based calendar. He calculated the solar year as being 365.25 days.
Caesar made the needed adjustments to the old traditional lunar
based calendar and the Julian calendar was adopted.

Fast foreword to the Middle Ages. Because Caesar’s astronomer
miscalculated the exact length of the solar year, by the mid 15th
century the Julian calendar was 10 days off. This resulted in
confusion about exactly when the new year should celebrated.

To fix the problem, Pope Gregory XIII commissioned Jesuit
astronomer Christopher Clavius to develop a more accurate
calendar.

In 1582, the Gregorian calendar was adopted. This calendar included
the addition of a leap year every four years when one additional
day is added to the month of February.

With the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, most countries in the
world celebrate the New Year on January 1st.

New Year's Celebrations in the United States

While colonists in what would later become the United States knew
January 1, was the start of the New Year, there was little
celebration of the date. Vulgar displays of frivolity were not in
keeping with the religious mores of many New World settlers.

On June 28,1870, New Year’s Day became one of four federally
recognized holidays, joining Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and
Christmas.

New Year’s celebrations as we know them today started on January
1st, 1907 when the first Ball was dropped in New York City’s Times
Square. Ever since 1907, we say goodbye to the old year and
celebrate the New Year in grand party fashion.

I’ll close this episode with my wish that your new year ahead is
prosperous, healthy, and joyful.

Thanks for listening. In future episodes you’re going to learn
about, "Get a Different Name Day", "Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk
Day", International World Thinking Day", and loads more.

To make sure you never miss an episode, go to
www.WeirdWackyandTraditionalHolidays.com and select the, “How to
Subscribe” link.

This podcast is available through Apple Podcasts or your podcast
listening app of choice. You can also listen and subscribe on our
website at www.WeirdWackyandTraditionalHolidays.com.

This is your host Stephen Carter asking you to remember, this day
is special and so are you. Let’s celebrate today and have some fun!