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{{Infobox Holiday |
|holiday_name=New Year's Day
|image=Rose Parade Pic 1994.jpg
|caption=Pasadena Rose Parade
|nickname=
|observedby=People around the world
|date=[[January 1]]
|observances=Making [[New Year's resolution]]s, parades, additional sporting events
|type=International
|significance=the first day of the  [[Gregorian calendar|Gregorian]] year
|relatedto=[[New Year's Eve]], the previous day, and [[Christmas|Christmas Day]], which is a nearby international holiday
}}

'''New Year's Day''' is the first day of the [[year]], in the [[Gregorian calendar]], falling exactly one week after [[Christmas|Christmas Day]] of the previous year. In modern times, it is [[January 1]]. In most countries, it is a [[holiday]]. It is a holy day to many of those who still use the [[Julian calendar]], which includes followers of some of the [[Eastern Orthodox]] churches, and is celebrated on [[January 14]] of the Gregorian calendar due to differences between the two calendars.

==Modern practices==

[[January 1]] marks the end of a period of remembrance of the passing year, especially on [[radio]], [[television]], and in [[newspaper]]s, which usually starts right after [[Christmas Day]]. Publications often have year-end articles that review the changes during the past year. Common topics include [[politics]], [[natural disaster]]s, [[music]] and [[the arts]], and the listing of significant individuals who [[obituaries|died]] during the past year. Often there are also articles on planned or expected changes in the coming year, such as the description of new laws that often take effect on [[January 1]].

This day is traditionally a [[religious]] [[feast]], but since the [[1900s]], has become an occasion for celebration the night of [[December 31]], called [[New Year's Eve]]. There are often [[fireworks]] at midnight. Depending on the country, individuals may be allowed to burn fireworks, even if it is forbidden the rest of the year.

It is also a memorable occasion to make [[New Year's resolution]]s, which they hope to fulfill in the coming Year; the most popular ones in the western world include to stop [[tobacco smoking]] or [[drinking]], or to [[dieting|lose weight]] or get [[Exercise|physically fit]].{{fact}}

In all countries that use the [[Gregorian calendar]], with the exception of [[Israel]], New Year's Day is a [[public holiday]]. For many of those countries, if [[January 1]] falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the Friday before or the Monday after will be a public holiday.  The official reason that it is not a public holiday in Israel  is due to the day's historic origins as a Christian religious holiday, although many other nations with non-Christian majorities have a public [[January 1]] holiday.

==History==
Originally observed on [[March 1]] in the old [[Roman Calendar]], New Year's Day first came to be fixed at [[January 1]] in [[153 BC]], when the two Roman [[consul]]s, after whom - in the Roman calendar - years were named and numbered, began to be chosen on that date.  However in AD [[525]], [[Dionysius Exiguus]] set the start of the [[Julian calendar]] at [[March 25]] {{cn|DE's article does NOT have him remaking the calendar}} to commemorate the [[Annunciation]] of [[Jesus]]; a variety of Christian feast dates were used throughout the Middle Ages to mark the [[New Year]], while calendars often continued to display the months in columns running from [[January]] to [[December]] in the Roman fashion.

Among the [[7th century]] [[Druidry|druidic]] pagans of [[Flanders]] and [[the Netherlands]], it was the custom to exchange gifts at the New Year, a pagan custom deplored by [[Saint Eligius]] (died [[659]] or [[660]]), who warned the Flemings and Dutchmen, "[Do not] make vetulas, [little figures of the Old Woman], little deer or iotticos or set tables [for the house-elf, compare [[Puck (mythology)|Puck]]] at night or exchange New Year gifts or supply superfluous drinks [another [[Yule]] custom]." The quote is from the ''vita'' of Eligius written by his companion Ouen.

Most countries in Western Europe officially adopted [[January 1]] as New Year's Day somewhat before they adopted the [[Gregorian calendar]]. This is sometimes called ''Circumcision Style'', because this was the date of the [[Feast of the Circumcision]], being the eighth day counting from [[25 December]]. {{see|Julian calendar#New Year's Day}}

==Specific, high-profile or common celebrations==
===New Year's Day===
* In Britain an extra round of football fixtures is played.
* In [[Pasadena, California]], [[United States]], the [[Tournament of Roses]] is held, with revelers viewing the [[parade]] from the streets and watching on television, followed by the [[Rose Bowl (game)|Rose Bowl]] football game.
* The aforementioned [[Rose Bowl (game)|Rose Bowl]] football game is one of several postseason [[bowl games]] played in [[college football]] in the [[United States]] (though in recent years it, due to its involvement in the [[Bowl Championship Series|BCS]], has not always fallen on New Year's Day; changes in the BCS mean that the Rose Bowl will return as a perennial New Year's Day fixture).
* [[Vienna New Year's Concert|Vienna New Year Concert]], in Austria.
* '''Polar Bear Clubs''': in many northern hemisphere cities near bodies of water, they will have a tradition of people plunging into the cold water on New Year's Day. The [[Coney Island]] Polar Bears Club in [[New York, New York|New York]] is the oldest cold-water swimming club in the United States. They have had groups of people enter the chilly surf since [[1903]].
*In [[Philadelphia]], the [[Mummers Parade]] is held on Broad Street.

===New Year's Eve===
{{main|New Year's Eve}}
*In [[Australia]], celebrations are had around the nation, especially in capital cities such as [[Sydney]], where the world's largest fireworks display draws 1-1.5 million people to the harbour. Australia is one of the first countries in the world to celebrate the new year.
* In [[New York City]], the world famous 1,070-pound, 6-foot-diameter [[Waterford crystal]] ball located high above [[Times Square]] is lowered starting at 11:59:00 p.m., or the last minute of the year, and reaches the bottom of its tower at the stroke of [[midnight]].  It is sometimes referred to as "the big apple" like the city itself; the custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at [[noon]] in harbors.
* Other Ball Drops occur in [[Copacabana]] beach in [[Rio de Janeiro]] and [[Sydney Harbour]]
* In [[The Netherlands]], Denmark and other [[Europe|European]] countries, the New Year is greeted with massive private [[fireworks]]. This day is also the occasion to make bonfires of discarded [[Christmas tree]]s in some countries.
* In South Korea, the most popular way of celebrating New Year's Day is to travel to Jung dong jin, the place on the peninsula where the sun can first be seen each day.
* [[Junkanoo]] [[parade]], in [[Nassau, Bahamas]]
* Some mayors in North America hold [[Levee (event)|New Year levees]]
* In [[Scotland]], there are many special customs associated with the New Year.  For more information, see ''[[Hogmanay]]'', the [[Scots language|Scots]] name for the New Year celebration.
* [[Japanese New Year]] in [[Japan]]
* The [[Peach Drop (Atlanta, Georgia)|Peach Drop]] in [[Underground Atlanta]], [[Atlanta, Georgia]], United States
* In [[Davos]], [[Switzerland]], the final match of the [[Spengler Cup]] [[Ice Hockey]] [[Tournament]] is usually held on this day by tradition.
[[Image:Sydney New Year's Eve 2.jpg|thumb|left|290px|Sydney leads the world in one of the first major [[New Year]] celebrations each year.]]

==Images associated with New Year's Day==

In the [[United States]], a common image used is that of an incarnation of [[Father Time]] (or the "Old Year") wearing a sash across his chest with the previous year printed on it passing on his duties to the [[Baby New Year]] (or the "New Year"), an infant wearing a sash with the new year printed on it.

[[Image:NYEBigBall_edited.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The 1,070-pound [[Waterford Crystal]] ball on New Year's Eve.]]

=== New Year's Babies ===

People born on New Year's Day are commonly called ''New Year Babies.''  Many hospitals give out prizes to the first baby born in that hospital in the new year.  These prizes are often donated by local businesses.  Prizes may include various baby related items such as [[Infant formula|baby formula]], [[blanket|baby blanket]]s, [[gift certificate]]s to stores which specialize in baby related merchandise, and [[diaper]]s.

==See also==
{{commonscat|New year celebrations}}
{{wikinews|World celebrates new year for gregorian calendar}}
*[[New Year]]
*[[New Year's Eve]]
*[[Norouz]]
*[[Enkutatash]]
*[[Famous New Year's Babies]]