January 1905 chases old 1904 into the history books in this cartoon by
John T. McCutcheon. • January 1: The first day of the civil year in the
Gregorian calendar used by most
countries. • Contrary to common belief in the west, the civil New Year of January 1 is not an
Orthodox Christian religious holiday. The
Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar makes no provision for the observance of a New Year. January 1 is itself a religious holiday, but that is because it is the feast of the
Circumcision of Jesus (seven days after his birth), and a
commemoration of saints. While the liturgical calendar begins September 1, there is also no particular religious observance attached to the start of the new cycle. Orthodox nations may, however, make civil celebrations for the New Year. Those who adhere to the
revised Julian calendar (which synchronizes dates with the Gregorian calendar), including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Romania, Syria, Turkey and Ukraine, observe both the religious and civil holidays on January 1. In other nations and locations where Orthodox churches still adhere to the
Julian calendar, including Georgia, Israel, Russia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and
Russian-occupied Ukraine, the civil new year is observed on January 1 of the civil calendar, while those same religious feasts occur on January 14 Gregorian (which is January 1 Julian), in accord with the liturgical calendar. • The
Japanese New Year (正月, Shōgatsu) is currently celebrated on January 1, with the holiday usually being observed until January 3, while other sources say that Shōgatsu lasts until January 6. In 1873, five years after the Meiji Restoration, Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar. Prior to 1873, Japan used a lunar calendar with twelve months each of 29 or 30 days for a total year of about 354 days. • The
Sámi celebrated
Ođđajagemánnu.
Winter lunisolar new years Lunisolar calendars count months according to
lunations but, because there are not an even number of
lunar cycles in a
solar year, the calendar must be restarted annually on the first, second or even third new moon after the
winter solstice. (The term "lunar calendar" is often used of lunisolar calendars, but true
lunar calendars (such as the
Islamic calendar) count only lunations and ignore the solar seasons.) • The
Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, occurs every year on the
new moon of the first lunar month, about the beginning of spring (
Lichun). The exact date can fall any time between January 21 and February 21 (inclusive) of the
Gregorian Calendar. Traditionally, years were marked by one of twelve
Earthly Branches, represented by an animal, and one of ten
Heavenly Stems, which correspond to the
five elements. This combination
cycles every 60 years. It is the most important Chinese celebration of the year. • The
Korean New Year is a
Seollal or Lunar New Year's Day. Although January 1 is, in fact, the first day of the year, Seollal, the first day of the lunar calendar, is more meaningful for Koreans. A celebration of the Lunar New Year is believed to have started to let in good luck and ward off bad spirits all throughout the year. With the old year out and a new one in, people gather at home and sit around with their families and relatives, catching up on what they have been doing. • The
Vietnamese New Year is the
Tết Nguyên Đán which most times is the same day as the Chinese New Year due to the Vietnamese using a lunisolar calendar similar to the Chinese calendar. • The
Tibetan New Year is
Losar and falls between January and March. • The
Taiwanese New Year is called Kuè-nî and falls between January and March.
March •
Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon after the
northward equinox. Ancient celebrations lasted for eleven days. • Nava Varsha is celebrated in India in various regions from March–April. • The
Iranian
New Year, called
Nowruz, is the day containing the exact moment of the Northward equinox, which usually occurs on March 20 or 21, marking the start of the spring season. The
Zoroastrian New Year coincides with the
Iranian New Year of
Nowruz and is celebrated by the
Parsis in India and by Zoroastrians and Persians across the world. In the
Baháʼí calendar, the new year occurs on the vernal equinox on March 20 or 21 and is called
Naw-Rúz. The Iranian tradition was also passed on to Central Asian countries, including Kazakhs, Uzbeks, and Uighurs, and there is known as
Nauryz. It is usually celebrated on March 22. • The
Balinese New Year, based on the Saka Calendar (Balinese-Javanese Calendar), is called
Nyepi, and it falls on Bali's Lunar New Year (around March). It is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation: observed from 6 am until 6 am the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. Although Nyepi is a primarily Hindu holiday, non-Hindu residents of Bali observe the day of silence as well, out of respect for their fellow citizens. Even tourists are not exempt; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowed onto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carrying those with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth. •
Ugadi (, ); the Telugu and Kannada New Year, generally falls in the months of March or April. The people of
Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana and
Karnataka states in southern India celebrate the advent of New Year's Day in these months. The first month of the new year is Chaitra Masa. • In the Kashmiri calendar, the holiday
Navreh marks the New Year in March–April. This holy day of
Kashmiri Brahmins has been celebrated for several millennia. •
Gudi Padwa is celebrated as the first day of the
Hindu year by the people of
Maharashtra, India and Sanskar Padwa is celebrated in
Goa. This day falls in March–April and coincides with
Ugadi. (see:
Deccan) • The
Sindhi festival of
Cheti Chand is celebrated on the same day as
Ugadi/
Gudi Padwa to mark the celebration of the Sindhi New Year. • The
Thelemic New Year on March 20 (or on April 8 by some accounts) is usually celebrated with an invocation to
Ra-Hoor-Khuit, commemorating the beginning of the
New Aeon in 1904. It also marks the start of the twenty-two-day Thelemic holy season, which ends on the third day of the writing of
The Book of the Law. This date is also known as The Feast of the Supreme Ritual. There are some that believe the Thelemic New Year falls on either March 19, 20, or 21, depending on the vernal equinox, which is The Feast for the Equinox of the Gods on the vernal equinox of each year to commemorate the founding of Thelema in 1904. In 1904 the vernal equinox was on March 21, and it was the day after
Aleister Crowley ended his Horus Invocation that brought on the new Æon and Thelemic New Year. • From 1155
until 1752, the civil year in England and its possessions began on March 25 (see
below.)
April • The Assyrian-Babylonian New Year, called
Kha b'Nissan or Resha d'Sheeta, occurs on April 1. •
Thelemic New Year Celebrations usually end on April 10, after an approximately one-month-long period that begins on March 20 (the formal New Year). This one-month period is referred to by many as the High Holy Days, and end with periods of observance on April 8, 9, and 10, coinciding with the three days of the Writing of the Book of the Law by
Aleister Crowley in 1904.
Mid-April (Spring in the Northern Hemisphere) The new year of many
South and
Southeast Asian calendars falls between April 13–15, marking the beginning of spring. • The
Baloch Hindu people in
Pakistan and
India celebrate their new year called Bege Roch in the month of Daardans according to their Saaldar calendar. •
Tamil New Year (
Puthandu) is celebrated in the
South Indian state of
Tamil Nadu, on the first of
Chithrai (சித்திரை) (April 13, 14, or 15). 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
kolams. •
Punjabi/
Sikh Vaisakhi (ਵਿਸਾਖੀ) is celebrated on April 14 in
Punjab according to their
nanakshahi calendar. •
Nepal New Year in Nepal is celebrated on the 1st of
Baisakh Baisākh which falls on 12–15 April in the Gregorian calendar. Nepal follows the
Bikram Sambat (BS) as an official calendar. • The
Dogra of
Himachal Pradesh celebrate their new year Chaitti in the month of Chaitra. •
Maithili New Year or
Jude-Sheetal too fall on these days. It is celebrated by
Maithili People all around the world. •
Assamese New Year (
Rongali Bihu or
Bohag Bihu) is celebrated on April 14 or 15 in the
Indian state of
Assam. •
Bengali New Year (
Pôhela Boishakh or
Bangla Nôbobôrsho) is celebrated on the 1st of
Boishakh (April 14 or 15) in
Bangladesh and the Indian states of
West Bengal,
Tripura,
Barak Valley of Assam,
Jharkhand and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. •
Odia New Year (
Vishuva Sankranti) is celebrated on April 14 in the Indian state of
Odisha. It is also called
Vishuva Sankranti or
Pana Sankranti (ପଣା ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି). •
Manipuri New Year or Cheirouba is celebrated on April 14 in the Indian State of Manipur with much festivities and feasting. •
Sinhalese New Year is celebrated with the harvest festival (in 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 Avurudda (අලුත් අවුරුද්ද)" in Sinhala and "Puththandu (புத்தாண்டு)" 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 by calculating the exact time that sun goes from Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries). 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 the 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) Where part of the sun in House of Pisces and Part is in House of Aries. •
Malayali New Year (,
Vishu) is celebrated in the South Indian state of
Kerala in mid-April. • Western parts of
Karnataka where Tulu is spoken, the new year is celebrated along with Tamil/ Malayali New year April 14 or 15, although in other parts most commonly celebrated on the day of
Gudi Padwa, the
Maharashtrian new year. In
Kodagu, in Southwestern Karnataka, however, both new year, Yugadi (corresponding to Gudi Padwa in March) and Bisu (corresponding to Vishu in around April 14 or 15), are observed. • The
Water Festival is the form of similar new year celebrations taking place in many
Southeast Asian countries, on the day of the full moon of the 11th month on the
lunisolar calendar each year. The date of the festival is based on the traditional lunisolar calendar which determines the dates of Buddhist festivals and holidays, and is observed from April 13 to 15. Traditionally people gently sprinkled water on one another as a sign of respect, but since the new year falls during the hottest month in Southeast Asia, many people end up dousing strangers and passersby in vehicles in boisterous celebration. The festival has many different names specific to each country: • In
Burma it is known as
Thingyan () •
Songkran () in Thailand •
Pi Mai Lao (
Songkan) in Laos •
Chaul Chnam Thmey ( ) in
Cambodia. • It is also the traditional new year of the
Dai peoples of
Yunnan Province, China. Religious activities in the tradition of Theravada Buddhism are also carried out, a tradition in which all of these cultures share.
June • The New Year of the
Kutchi people occurs on
Ashadi Beej, that is 2nd day of
Shukla paksha of
Aashaadha month of
Hindu calendar. As for people of
Kutch, this day is associated with the beginning of rains in Kutch, which is largely a desert area. Hindu calendar month of Aashaadh usually begins on June 22 and ending on July 22. •
Odunde Festival is a celebration on the 2nd Sunday of June, where "Odunde" means "Happy New Year" in the Yorube Nigerian language. • The
Xooy ceremony of the
Serer people of Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania marks the Serer New Year. • In the
Dogon religion, the
Bulo festival marks the
Dogon New Year.
July • The New Year of the
Zulu people occurs on the full moon of July.
September •
Neyrouz, the
Coptic New Year, is the continuation of the
ancient Egyptian New Year following the
Roman emperor Augustus's reform of its calendar. Its date of
Thoth 1 usually occurs on August 29 in the
Julian calendar, except in the year before a Julian
leap year, when it occurs the next day. The
leap years removed from the
Gregorian calendar mean that it presently falls on September 11 or 12 but on different days before 1900 or after 2100. •
Enkutatash, the
Ethiopian New Year, occurs on the same day as Neyrouz. • The New Year of the
French Revolutionary Calendar, in force from 1793 to 1805 and briefly under the
Paris Commune in 1871, occurred on the
Southward equinox (22, 23, or 24 September)
Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere •
Rosh Hashanah (
Hebrew for 'head of the year') is a Jewish, two day holiday, commemorating the culmination of the
seven days of Creation, and marking God's yearly renewal of His world. The day has elements of festivity and introspection, as God is traditionally believed to be assessing His creation and determining the fate of all men and creatures for the coming year. In Jewish tradition, honey is used to symbolize a sweet new year. At the traditional meal for that holiday, apple slices are dipped in honey and eaten with blessings recited for a good, sweet new year. Some Rosh Hashanah greetings show honey and an apple, symbolizing the feast. In some congregations, small straws of honey are given out to usher in the new year. • The
Pathans Kalasha celebrate their Chowmus which marks the beginning of their year in
Chitral district of
Pakistan and parts of
India. • The
Marwari New Year (Thapna) is celebrated on the day of the festival of
Diwali, which is the last day
Krishna Paksha of the
Ashvin month & also the last day of the Ashvin month of the
Hindu calendar. • The
Gujarati New Year (
Bestu/Nao Varas) is 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, i.e. first day of
Shukla paksha of the
Kartik month, which is taken as the first day of the first month of the Gujarati lunar calendar. Most other
Hindus celebrate the New Year in early spring. The Gujarati community all over the world celebrates the New Year after Diwali to mark the beginning of a new fiscal year. • The
Sikkimese celebrate their new year called
Losar. • The Nepal Era New year (see
Nepal Sambat) is celebrated in regions encompassing original Nepal. The new year occurs on the fourth day of
Diwali. The calendar was used as an official calendar until the mid-19th century. However, the new year is still celebrated by the
Newars community of Nepal. • Some
neo-pagans celebrate their interpretation of
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.
December • The
Mizo in
northeast India celebrate their
Pawl Kut in December. • The
Inuit, the
Aleut, the
Yupik, the
Chukchi and the
Iñupiat celebrate
Quviasukvik () as their New Year. It occurs on the same day as
Christmas Eve.
Variable • The
Islamic New Year occurs on
Muharram. Since the
Islamic calendar is based on 12
lunar months amounting to about 354 days, its New Year occurs about eleven days earlier each year in relation to the Gregorian calendar, with two Islamic New Years falling in the Gregorian year 2008. •
Satu Suro is the
Javanese New Year, which falls on the first day of the month of
Suro and corresponds with the first Islamic month of
Muharram. Most
Javanese in
Java,
Indonesia celebrated it by staying at home and refrain leaving the house. • The "Opening of the Year" (; ''''), usually transcribed as Wep Renpet, was the
ancient Egyptian New Year. It appears to have originally been set to occur upon
Sirius's
return to the night sky (July 19 proleptic
Julian calendar), during the initial stages of former
annual flood of the
Nile. However the
Egyptian calendar's lack of
leap years, until its reform by the
Roman emperor Augustus, meant that the celebration slowly cycled through the entire solar year over the course of two or three 1460-year
Sothic cycles. ==Christian liturgical year==