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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Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
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Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, USA
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Colourful bathing huts on the beach in Skåne County, Sweden
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This lesson is going swimmingly
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The beauty that lies below
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Happy Fathers Day!
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St. James Tidal Pool, Cape Town, South Africa
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Gentoo Penguins, Antarctica
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A flashy, frigid waterfowl
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Hello, is it tea you’re looking for?
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Rainbow River, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida, United States
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Pick your paradise
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Come on, guys, this way!
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Desert daggers?
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Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Leaf-peeping Southern style
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Butterfly, fly away
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Verdon Gorge, France
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The rainbow bridge
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Sangameswara Temple, Andhra Pradesh
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Sibiu Christmas Market, Romania
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What the heck is a distaff?
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Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York, United States
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Where are these magnificent cliffs?
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Colours of spring
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Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
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Monsoon awakens the sleeping mountains
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Backwaters of Kerala, India
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World Reef Awareness Day
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Tulips, Netherlands