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!
Jan. 1, 2026Happy New Year!

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Apr. 13, 2025Songkran—Thai New Year
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Dec. 14, 2023Boreal owl
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Majestic lord of the skies
Dec. 30, 2025Whooper swans, Kotoku Pond, Japan
Aug. 23, 2025St. Barbaras Cathedral, Kutná Hora, Czechia
Jan. 4, 2024Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
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Oct. 20, 2023International Sloth Day
Immersing in nature
Aug. 16, 2025World Honey Bee Day
Apr. 6, 2026Castle Day Japan
Apr. 12, 2025International Day of Human Space Flight
Apr. 7, 2026International Beaver Day
Mar. 30, 2026Demoiselle cranes, India
This blue succulent is as good as gold here
Aug. 5, 2025Tide pools in La Jolla, California, United States
May 25, 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Apr. 5, 2026Easter Sunday
Oct. 24, 2024Bodie State Historic Park, California, United States
Aug. 14, 2024World Lizard Day
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Nov. 23, 2024Fibonacci Day
Huddled and hunting
The most active volcano in the world