Amazing Facts about New Year's Eve

This weekend will see the end of 2017, so let’s get ready with some facts about the New Year Day.

7 Amazing Facts about New Year's Eve

For many people around the world January 1st is always an opportunity to make a fresh start with a new year. But we bet you didn't know that over the last four thousand years New Year wasn't always celebrated on the first of January. 

1. The original New Year celebration, the massive Babylonian religious festival of Akitu was held every year around the Spring EQUINOX. The people of ancient Babylon began their New Year in what we now call March.

Akitu

2. In 46 BC Julius Ceasar introduce the new calendar "The Julian calendar" that was sync to the sun instead of the moon and officially moving New Year celebration from march 1st to January 1st. 

The Roman Calendar

. 3. Finally in 1582 pope 'Gregory Xlll' overhauled calendar system again. 

Julian vs Gregorian Calendar

The Gregorian calendar which we still use today restore January 1st as new year's day. And since that time, much of the western world has celebrated the start of the year just like you do on the first day of January.

The Gregorian Calendar

This calendar has been implemented by several countries because the Julian calendar assumes a full year is 365.25 days whereas it is actually 11 minutes less.

This is a visual example of the official date change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian

4. Even today some country and cultures follow a lunar not solar calendar and hold their new year celebration at different times of the year. 'Rosh Hashanah' the Jewish new year and the first day of 'Muharram' the start of the Islamic calendar year are both celebrated in the fall. 

Rosh Hashanah- Jewish New Year

And the 'Chinese New Year' which last for whole month begin in late January or early February.

Chinese New Year

5. New Year's traditions also vary from country to country. In Bolivia, families often hang small homemade dolls outside their homes for good luck. While in Spain people eat twelve grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve to bring twelve months of happiness. Other cultures also eat special foods for new year. Greeks eat ring shaped cake with silver and gold coins baked inside. In China a dumpling represents hope for an auspicious new year. And in japan long 'BUCKWHEAT Noodles' symbolize long life.

Several New Year Traditions

6. Since 1904 crowds have packed New York TIMES SQUARE for one of the most famous New Years tradition of  all "The Droping of the Ball". 

The Waterford crystal ball is shown atop One Times Square

At midnight 100 of 1000 of people enjoyed the mesmerizing kaleidoscopic event with nearly 16 million vivid colors and billions of patterns. From champagne and fireworks to resolution and fresh starts New Years has always been many things to many people and it has a long and colorful history that we bet you didn't know.

In this view looking north from the New York Times building in New York, a crowd estimated at 500,000 gathers to usher in the new year, Dec. 31, 1940.

7. The tiny Pacific Island nation of Kiribati. It’s located in the world’s earliest time zone, so it’s always the first place on Earth to welcome a new year. 

Pacific Island nation of Kiribati

As for the last place to ring in the coming year? That title belongs to American Samoa in the South Pacific Ocean.

American Samoa in South Pacific Ocean

8. Hindu New Year is one of the widely celebrated festivals in India. It is celebrated in accordance to the Hindu Lunar Calendar - Pachaganga. In lunar religious calendars, Chaitra begins with the new moon in March/April and is the first month of the year. The first of Chaitra – is celebrated as New Year's Day, known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Chaitrai Vishu and Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.This day marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. 

Various Regional Calendars

The history of this celebration dates back to 57 BC as the origin of the Hindu calendar is associated with legendary Hindu King Vikramaditya. This day is also celebrated as Vikram Sawant. According to the Hindu calendar, the New Year commences from the first day of  Kartik month. We are now in Vikrami Samvat 2074 year and we are about to enter in the year 2075 by march.