Happy New Year! Jan. 1, 2024

Welcome to 2024! Did you stay up late last night to ring in the new year? If so, we wouldn"t blame you for sleeping in like this red fox in Abruzzo, Italy. Whenever you wake up, New Year"s Day is a great opportunity for reflection, planning and a sense of renewal for the year that stretches out before us. January 1 has been a big day since the Julian calendar was widely adopted in 45 BCE, and as its use spread across the world—eventually modified in 1582 by the Gregorian calendar to better calculate leap years. Whether you"re taking the day to watch a parade, attend a sports game, take a chilly dip or write resolutions, we hope it"s the beginning of a great year to come.

© marco vancini/500px/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Napping near the North Pole
Jan. 1, 2025Happy New Year!
Jan. 1, 2026Happy New Year!

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov. 16, 2025A traboule in Lyon, France
Feb. 8, 2026Corfu at night, Greece
May 8, 2026Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa
Apr. 4, 2024Red lechwe, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Stepping back in time
Feb. 29, 2024Leap Day
Jan. 29, 2026Milwaukee City Hall, Wisconsin, United States
Oct. 25, 2023Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
Where is this scenic view?
Singing the blues
Oct. 21, 2024Cypress trees in George L. Smith State Park, Georgia, United States
Nov. 7, 2024Vancouver Coastal Sea wolves in the Great Bear Rainforest
Amber waves of grain
Dec. 7, 2023Verdon Gorge, France
To the infinite and back
Nov. 15, 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
Oct. 22, 2023Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon
Apr. 21, 2025International Dark Sky Week
Unbe-leaf-able
Her legend and mystery endure
A mountaintop cultural wonder
A gem in the Rockies
Jun. 27, 2025Splendid leaf frog
Jan. 17, 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
Feb. 27, 2025International Polar Bear Day
May 19, 2026Formentor Lighthouse, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Oct. 31, 2024Happy Halloween!
The old castle at sunrise
May 12, 2026Atlantic puffins, Wales
Apr. 20, 2026Buckets on maple trees collecting sap for maple syrup