Happy New Year! 1 Jan 2025

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.

© Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Taking a New Year nap
1 Jan 2024Happy New Year!

More Desktop Wallpapers:

20 Jul 2025Moon Day
6 Oct 2023Taughannock Falls State Park, New York
18 Sep 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
11 Aug 2024Wooden path to Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island, Canada
Winter wonderland
28 Jan 2024Channel Country, Australia
Bungle beehives
On a dark and stormy night...
29 Apr 2024Fujian Tulou, China
17 Aug 2025International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
King of the ocean
World Population Day
Dad on duty
The world’s greatest oasis?
17 Feb 2025Jorvik Viking Festival
10 Feb 2024South Downs Dark Skies Festival
24 Oct 2025Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, United States
22 Feb 2024Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, Australia
16 Jul 2025Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
17 May 2025A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
13 Nov 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Balearic Islands, Majorca, Spain
25 Sep 2023Sea otters
31 Oct 2025Happy Halloween!
Big Bends birthday bash
31 Jan 2025Happy International Zebra Day!
Wind powered ice racing
Don’t look down!
8 Jul 2024Blueberries growing in the wild
What are these unique creatures?
4 Nov 2023Playa del Silencio, Spain