We can’t help but wish for a brighter and better future after a difficult year. The transition to a new year would not be complete without New Year’s Eve. It is important to enjoy good food, spend time with loved ones, have fun with friends, and eat delicious food. NYE is a widely-respected holiday.
This holiday didn’t just become famous overnight. Many historical events helped make New Year’s Eve what it is today. Continue reading to learn more about New Year’s Eve’s history and how you can appreciate it.
How the New Year Celebrations began
Around 2000 B.C. was the first recorded New Year celebration. in Mesopotamia. This happened at the vernal-equinox time, which was towards the end of March. Babylonians would celebrate a religious festival called Akitu, which is derived from the Sumerian term barley. They would perform various rituals that would last 11 days.
Atiku was not only celebrating the New Year but also the victory of Marduk (Babylonian’s sky god), over Tiamat (evil sea goddess). The fall equinox would mark the beginning of the New Year for Egyptians, Persians, and Phoenicians. The winter solstice was when the New Year was celebrated by the Greeks.
January 1 is the new year
The origin of January 1 as the New Year is dated back to 46 B.C. when Julius Caesar created the solar-based Julian Calendar. This was in response to the outdated Roman calendar that was lunar-based.
Janu, the Roman god of beginnings with two faces, was another reason January 1 became the New Year’s start date. This allows him to go back in time and look forward to the future.
Ancient people used to offer sacrifices to the gods of beginnings and decorate their homes with laurel branches. They also exchanged gifts.
The New Year celebrations were however paganistic. January 1 was therefore removed from the calendar as the beginning of the year. The beginning of the New Year was considered to be December 25, the date Jesus was born. March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation was used to replace January 1.
Gregorian Calendar
According to the Gregorian calendar, NYE falls on December 31. This calendar was established in Rome by Pope Gregory XIII in late 1582. The Julian calendar, which Julius Caesar introduced, was subject to minimal changes.
Some days were also removed when the solar year calendar replaced the lunar cycle calendar. The days following October 4, 1582, were changed to October 15. It is only possible to imagine how people were born between October 5 and 14 feet.
The Gregorian calendar was first used by the Catholic Church. However, the Gregorian calendar has been slowly adopted by other European countries like Germany, Russia, Denmark, Russia, and Scotland. The Gregorian calendar can be used in different countries today.
New Year’s Eve: Traditions and Celebrations
It’s impossible to say goodbye to 2021 and welcome another year, without celebrating New Year’s Eve. While each country has its own traditions and celebrations for this occasion, there are many common ways to celebrate it.
Midnight 12 Grapes
Spain has a long tradition of eating twelve grapes at New Year’s Eve. That’s one grape for each minute after midnight. To enjoy a lucky year, you must eat all 12 grapes. The next year could be very difficult if you don’t. You need to chew them all before the clock stops ticking!
Midnight Kiss
A popular New Year’s Eve tradition most people love is the midnight hug. This can be done with your partner or even a friend. You may be wondering how this particular part of New Year’s Eve’s history began. It is believed to have originated from Saturnalia, an ancient pagan festival that involved lots of singing, dancing, and drinking.
A midnight kiss is believed to bring good fortune in both English and German folklore. It is believed that your year’s fate will be determined by the last person you kissed. You might consider carefully choosing your partner.
Setting New Year’s Resolutions
We love making New Year’s Resolutions. These resolutions can be used to improve our health, spend more time with our families, or pursue goals and aspirations. They also help us to love ourselves more. Did you know this custom began four millennia back? Babylonians would promise the gods a better year in order to get it.
Romans offered sacrifices to Janus and promised him good deeds. They would return farm tools they had borrowed and settle their debts. Christians view the occasion as an opportunity to reflect on their past mistakes and to plan for the future. The spiritual aspect of New Year’s resolutions is over.