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.
Happy New Year!
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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A beacon in the golden light
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Celebrating Festivus
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Lest we forget
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What the heck is a distaff?
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Lake Bled, Slovenia
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Château de Sully-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France
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Snowy owl near the Canadian Rockies
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Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, United States
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A female Eurasian red squirrel, Switzerland
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Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
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Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
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Atlantic puffins, Wales
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Bright blue lakes and rugged mountains
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Happy Diwali!
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Rocks and sand in the Sahara, Algeria
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Fish River Canyon, Namibia
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Silent night, sparkling lights and hearts full of joy
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Tulips, Netherlands
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Angkor, Cambodia
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International Beaver Day
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Chasing summer in the art world
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So fresh, so clean
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Happy Fathers Day!
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Ribblehead Viaduct, North Yorkshire, England
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A future built on the past
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Big rocks, big heads, still counting?
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Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
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International Day of the Tropics
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Ostuni, Apulia, Italy
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Positively purple peaks
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