Happy New Year! Jan. 1, 2026

Happy New Year!

Do you feel as if you have a whole year"s worth of rest to catch up on? Then you can relate to this Arctic fox, cosily tucked among the rocky outcroppings of the frozen tundra. Whether the new year greets you with biting cold or under a warm sun, take five extra minutes to stretch before diving into the 365 days ahead. Ever wondered why we have 365 days in a year? It"s because the Gregorian calendar—introduced in 1582—is based on a solar year: the time it takes Earth to orbit the sun. The stars have our backs, but the plans we make for the months ahead are all on us.

© Chansak Joe/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Napping near the North Pole
Jan. 1, 2024Happy New Year!
Jan. 1, 2025Happy New Year!

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec. 24, 2023Christmas Eve
A future built on the past
Blood moon
Dec. 3, 2023Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
The ancient home of the Minoans
Apr. 21, 2024Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
Who’s snoozing?
Dec. 26, 2024Boxing Day
Jan. 27, 2026Dalmatian pelicans, Lake Kerkini, Greece
Among the most photographed in the Rockies
Jan. 8, 2026Starling murmuration over the ruins of Brightons West Pier, England
Teddy bears of the sea
May 30, 2026Plains zebra foal in Etosha National Park, Namibia
Oct. 2, 2023World Architecture Day
May 28, 2025World Otter Day
A day for cousins of every stripe
Oct. 29, 2025Ancient til trees in Fanal Forest, Madeira, Portugal
The other great barrier reef
A glowing square of squares
Happy New Year’s from down under
Hovering over harmonious horticulture
Ever seen garlic bloom?
Isn’t this view mesmerizing?
Aug. 6, 2025Ring-tailed lemur
Sep. 24, 2025Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, United States
Like a waterfall, free and wild
Nov. 11, 2024Banff National Park, Alberta
Apr. 2, 2026Wildflower bloom, Central Valley, California, United States
Apr. 13, 2024Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
Jan. 9, 2024Rio Grande, Albuquerque