Happy New Year! Jan. 1, 2025

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year"s Day! Humans have celebrated the new year since at least 2000 BCE, but various cultures have chosen different days coinciding with equinoxes or lunar cycles. The Romans established January 1 as the beginning of the year in 153 BCE, but this fell out of favour throughout Europe during the medieval era. Since 1582 and the widespread adoption of the Gregorian calendar, however, much of the world now celebrates the new year today. In addition to watching fireworks, drinking champagne and making resolutions in the wee hours of the morning, other global traditions include making noise, eating lucky foods and giving gifts.

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Today in History

Napping near the North Pole
Jan. 1, 2024Happy New Year!

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Sep. 19, 2024International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Jan. 21, 2025Squirrel Appreciation Day
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Dec. 8, 2024Notre-Dame reopens
Feb. 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
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Sep. 26, 2024Blue-throated toucanet, Los Quetzales National Park, Costa Rica
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Nov. 14, 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
Jan. 31, 2024International Zebra Day
Mar. 18, 2024Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
Jul. 7, 2025Northern gannets, Shetland Islands, Scotland
Feb. 7, 2024St. James Tidal Pool, Cape Town, South Africa
Jan. 21, 2024Eurasian red squirrel, Netherlands
A day for giving
Red rock country
Gravity-defying wonders of the world
Dec. 20, 2024Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
The top of Tennessee