Did you know that New Year’s is the most celebrated event throughout the world? History.com states, “Civilizations have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia.” New Year’s has no religious roots so everyone can celebrate it. It is celebrated in most cities and this year, December 31 was televised in Los Angeles, California and New York, New York. It’s now 2016, and New Year’s is a thing of the past and something to be reviewed.
The earliest recorded celebrations of the new year date back approximately 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. The first new moon following the vernal equinox, or the day in late March with an equal amount of day and night, light and dark, marked the start of a new year.
The ancient Babylonians celebrated the occasion with a massive religious festival called Akitu involving different rituals on each of its 11 days. Atiku celebrated the mythical victory of the Babylonian sky god Marduk over the evil sea goddess Tiamat. During this time, a new king was crowned or the current ruler’s divine right was renewed.
Civilizations around the world developed increasingly sophisticated calendars, typically coinciding the first day of the year with an agricultural or astronomical event. In Egypt, the year began with the annual flooding of the Nile River, which paralleled with the rising of the brightest star in the sky, the dog star Sirius. The first day of the Chinese new year was defined by the second new moon after the winter solstice.
Julius Caesar, as part of his Julian calendar, instituted January 1 as the first day of the year. Romans celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, the Roman god of beginnings. According to history.com, they also celebrated by “exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending raucous parties.” In Europe, Christian leaders temporarily replaced January 1 as the first of the year with days they thought carried more religious significance, such as December 25 and March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation). In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII reestablished January 1 as New Year’s Day.
In many countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on December 31 and continue into the early hours of January 1. In Spain and several other Spanish-speaking countries, people eat a dozen grapes at each stroke of the church bells at 12:00 on January 1st. In some countries, traditional New Year’s dishes include legumes, small seeds, thought to resemble coins and indicate future financial success. Pork is a classic food on New Year’s Eve in Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Portugal and other countries. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries, a sign that the year has come full circle, are desserts in the Netherlands, Mexico, and Greece, among other places. In Sweden and Norway, rice pudding with an almond hidden inside is served on New Year’s Eve. Whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune.
Resolution making is also thought to have started with the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off right. In the United States, the most iconic tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in Times Square at midnight. Millions of people around the world are entertained by this event, which has taken place almost every year since 1907. Various towns and cities across America have developed their own versions of the Times Square ritual, organizing public drops of items ranging from pickles to possums.
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