New Year: Difference between revisions

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The '''New Year''' is an event that happens when a [[culture]] celebrates the end of one [[year]] and the beginning of the next. Cultures that measure yearly [[calendar]]s all have '''New Year''' celebrations.

in 1904. It)#Julian start of the year|beginning of the Julian year]]:

==Modern new year celebrations==

* In ''Christmas Style'' dating the new year started on [[25 December]]. This was used in [[Germany]] and [[England]] until the thirteenth century, and in [[your house]] i ate my cat

:''For further information, see [[New Year's Eve]] and [[New Year's Day]]''

The most common modern dates of celebration are:

*[[1 January]] : The first day of the year in the [[Gregorian calendar]] used by most [[country| countries]].

*[[Rosh Hashanah]] ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] for 'head of the year') is a celebration that occurs 163 days following Pesach ([[Passover]]). In the [[Gregorian calendar]] at present, Rosh Hashanah cannot occur before [[5 September]], when it occurred in 1899 and will occur again in 2013. After the year 2089, the differences between the Hebrew Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar will force Rosh Hashanah to be not earlier than [[6 September]]. Rosh Hashanah cannot occur later than [[5 October]], when it occurred in 1967 and will again occur in 2043. See [[Hebrew Calendar]].

*In the [[Eastern Orthodox]] Church, the civil New Year (also celebrating the infant Jesus' [[circumcision]]) falls on [[14 January]] ([[1 January]] in the [[Julian Calendar]]). Many in the countries where Eastern Orthodoxy predominates celebrate both the Gregorian and Julian New Year holidays, with the Gregorian day celebrated as a [[civic holiday]], and the Julian date as the "[[Old New Year]]", a [[religious holiday]]. The Church's own liturgical calendar begins on September 1st thereby proceeding annually from the celebration of Jesus' birth in the winter (Christmas) through his death and resurrection in the spring (Pascha / Easter), to his Ascension in the summer, and the death of his mother (Dormition of the Theotokos / Virgin Mary) in the fall.

** Note: Eight of the twelve biggest Eastern Orthodox Churches have adopted the [[Revised Julian calendar]] administratively and the civic and religious holidays match. The orthodox population of [[Bulgaria]], [[Cyprus]], [[Egypt]], [[Greece]], [[Poland]], [[Romania]], [[Syria]] and [[Turkey]] celebrate the New Year on January 1st. The orthodox churches of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Jerusalem]], [[Russia]] and [[Serbia]] still use the [[Julian Calendar]].

*In the [[Coptic Orthodox]] Church, the New Year, called [[Neyrouz]], coincides with [[11 September]] in the Gregorian calendar between 1900 and 2099, with the exception of the year before Gregorian leap years, when Neyrouz occurs on [[12 September]]). The Coptic year 1723 began in September 2005. The [[Ethiopia|Ethiopian]] Orthodox New Year, called [[Enkutatash]], falls on the same date as Neyrouz; it is currently 1998 in the [[Ethiopian calendar]].

*The [[Chinese New Year]], also known as the Lunar New Year, occurs every year on the [[new moon]] of the first lunar month, around the beginning of [[spring]] ([[Lichun]]). The exact date can fall anytime between [[21 January]] and [[21 February]] (inclusive) of the [[Gregorian Calendar]]. Because the [[lunisolar]] [[Chinese calendar]] is astronomically defined, unlike the Gregorian Calendar, the [[precession of the equinoxes|drift of the seasons]] will change the range. Each year is symbolized by one of 12 animals and one of five elements, with the combinations of animals and elements (or stems) cycling every 60 years. It is the most important Chinese holiday of the year.

* The [[Sinhalese New Year]] falls In April (the month of Bak) when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries) Sri Lankans begin celebrating their National New Year "Aluth Avurudhu" in Sinhala and "Puththandu" in Tamil. However, unlike the usual practice where the new year begins at midnight, the National New Year begins at the time determined by the astrologers. Not only the beginning of the new year but the conclusion of the old year is also specified by the astrologers. And unlike the customary ending and beginning of new year, there is a period of a few hours in between the conclusion of the Old Year and the commencement of the New Year , which is called the "nona gathe" (neutral period). During this time one is expected to keep off from all types of work and engage solely in religious activities.

*The [[Vietnamese New Year]] is the [[Tết|Tết Nguyên Đán]] which is for most times the same day as the Chinese New Year.

*The [[Tibet]]an New Year is [[Losar]] and falls from January through March.

*The [[Iran|Iranian]] [[Iranian calendar|New Year]], called [[Norouz]], is the day containing the exact moment of the [[vernal equinox]], commencing the start of the spring season.

*The [[Puthandu|Tamil New Year]] and [[Vishu]] are celebrated on the same day respectively in the Southern Indian states of [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Kerala]]. They generally fall on [[13 April]] or [[14 April]]. The first month of the Tamil New Year is called Chithrai. Every year in the month of Chithrai, in the temple city of [[Madurai]], the Chithrai Thiruvizha is celebrated in the [[Meenakshi Temple]]. A huge exhibition is also held, called Chithrai Porutkaatchi. In some parts of Southern [[Tamil Nadu]], it is also called Chithrai [[Vishu]]. The day is marked with a feast in [[Hindu]] homes and the entrance to the houses are decorated elaborately with [[kolam]]s.

*The [[Ugadi|Telugu New Year]] generally falls in the months of March or April. The people of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[India]] celebrate the advent of [[Hindu Calendar|Lunar year]] this day.

*The [[Thai New Year]] is celebrated from [[13 April]] to [[15 April]] by throwing water.

*In [[April]] when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of [[Pisces (constellation)|Pisces]]) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of [[Aries (constellation)|Aries]]) [[Sri Lanka |Sri Lankans]] begin celebrating their national New Year, ''Aluth Avurudhu'' in [[Sinhalese| Sinhala]] and ''Puththandu'' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]. The new year generally falls on [[13 April]] or [[14 April]].

*The [[Cambodian New Year]] and [[Lao New Year]] are celebrated from [[13 April]] to [[15 April]].

*The [[Bengal]]i New Year [[Pohela Baisakh]] is celebrated on [[14 April]] or [[15 April]] in a festive manner in both [[Bangladesh]] and [[West Bengal]].

*Some [[neo-pagan]]s celebrate [[Samhain]] (a festival of the ancient Celts, held around [[November 1]]) as a new year's day representing the new cycle of the [[Wheel of the Year]], although they do not use a different calendar that starts on this day.

*The [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] New Year is usually celebrated the day after the festival of [[Diwali]] (which occurs in mid-fall - either October or November, depending on the [[Lunar calendar]]). The Gujarati New Year is synonymous with ''sud ekam'' of the ''Kartik'' month - the first day of the first month of Gujarati [[lunar]] calendar. Most other [[Hindu]]s celebrate the New Year in early spring, but the Gujarati farming community celebrates the New Year after [[Diwali]] to mark the beginning of a new fiscal year.

* The Marwari New Year is celebrated on the day of the festival of Diwali

*The [[Islamic]] [[Muslim New Year|New Year]] occurs on 1 [[Muharram]]. Since the [[Muslim calendar]] is based on 12 [[lunar month]]s amounting to about 354 days, the Gregorian date of this is about eleven days earlier each year. 2008 will see two Muslim New Years.

*The [[Assyria]]n New Year, called Rish Nissanu, occurs on the vernal equinox, [[21 March]], commencing the start of the spring.

*In the [[Bahá'í calendar]], the new year occurs on the vernal equinox on [[21 March]], and is called Naw-Rúz.

*The [[Punjabi]] new year [[Vaisakhi]] is celebrated on [[13 April]] and celebrates the harvest.

* [[Hola Mohalla]], New Year's Day in the [[Sikhism|Sikh]] [[Nanakshahi calendar]] is on [[March 14]].

*The [[Thelema|Thelemic]] new year is usually celebrated with an invocation to [[Ra hoor khuit|Ra-Hoor-Khuit]], commemorating the beginning of the [[Aeon (Thelema)|New Aeon]] in 1904. It also marks the start of the twenty two day Thelemic holy season.

==Historical dates for the new year==

The ancient [[Roman calendar]] had only ten [[month]]s and started the year on [[1 March]], which is still reflected in the names of some months which derive from [[Latin]]: [[September]] (seventh), [[October]] (eighth), [[November]] (ninth), [[December]] (tenth). Around [[713 BC]] the months of [[January]] and [[February]] were added to the year, traditionally by the second king, [[Numa Pompilius]], along with the leap month [[Mercedonius|Intercalaris]]. The year used in dates was the consular year, which began on the day when consuls first entered office — fixed by law at [[15 March]] in [[222 BC]][http://www.norbyhus.dk/calendar.html], but this event was moved to [[1 January]] in [[153 BC]]. In 45 BC, [[Julius Caesar]] introduced the [[Julian calendar]], dropping Intercalaris; however, [[1 January]] continued to be the first day of the new year.

In the [[Middle Ages]] in [[Europe]] a number of significant feast days in the [[ecclesiastical calendar]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] came to be used as the [[Julian year (calendar)#Julian start of the year|beginning of the Julian year]]:

* In ''Christmas Style'' dating the new year started on [[25 December]]. This was used in [[Germany]] and [[England]] until the thirteenth century, and in [[your houseSpain]] ifrom the fourteenth to atethe mysixteenth catcentury.

* In ''Annunciation Style'' dating the new year started on [[25 March]], the feast of the [[Annunciation]]. This was used in many parts of Europe in the Middle Ages, and was the style introduced by [[Dionysius Exiguus]] in AD [[525]]. Annunciation Style continued to be used in the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] until [[January 1]] [[1752]], except [[Scotland]] which changed to ''Circumcision Style'' dating on [[1 January]] [[1600]]. The rest of Great Britain changed to ''Circumcision Style'' on the [[1 January]] preceding the conversion in Great Britain from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar on 3/[[14 September]] [[1752]]. The UK tax year still starts on [[6 April]] which is [[25 March]] + 12 days, eleven for the conversion from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar plus a dropped leap day in 1900.

* In ''Easter Style'' dating, the new year started on [[Easter]] Saturday (or sometimes on [[Good Friday]]). This was used in [[France]] from the eleventh to the sixteenth century. A disadvantage of this system was that because Easter was a [[movable feast]] the same date could occur twice in a year; the two occurrences were distinguished as "before Easter" and "after Easter".

* In ''Circumcision Style'' dating, the new year started on [[1 January]], the [[Feast of the Circumcision]] (of [[Jesus]]).

The ancient Roman new year of [[1 March]] was used in the [[Republic of Venice]] until its destruction in 1797, and in [[Russia]] from 988 until the end of the fifteenth century. [[1 September]] was used in [[Russia]] from the end of the fifteenth century until the adoption of the [[Anno Domini|Christian era]] in 1700 (previously, Russia had counted years since the creation of the world).

Since the seventeenth century, the Roman Catholic ecclesiastic year has started on the first day of [[Advent]], the Sunday nearest to [[St. Andrew's Day]] ([[30 November]]).

Autumnal equinox day (usually [[22 September]]) is "New Year's Day" in the [[French Republican Calendar]], which was in use from 1793 to 1805. This was ''primidi Vendemière'', the first day of the first month.

==Trivia==

[[April Fool's Day]] probably has its origin with a pre-Gregorian new year celebration which went from the spring equinox to [[April 1]]. When the new calendar, starting on [[January 1]], replaced it, people who continued to celebrate the traditional New Year were, apparently, mocked and teased, the subject of various humorous harassment.

==See also==

* [[Japanese New Year]]

* [[Hogmanay]]

==External links==

{{Commons|Category:New year celebrations|New year celebrations}}

*[http://theholidayspot.com/newyear/wishes.htm Happy New Year in 46 Languages]

*[http://www.bulgarian-guide.com/bulgarian-holidays/new-year/ New Year in Bulgaria]

[[Category:New Year celebrations]]

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