New Year's Day

New Year's Day is a holiday in many countries. It was created to welcome the new year. In most countries, New Year Day is celebrated on 1 January.

The new year is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Cultures that measure yearly calendars all have new year celebrations.

Early Christmas
In Christmas Style dating, the new year started on 25 December. This was used in Germany and England until the thirteenth century, and in Spain from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century.

In Annunciation Style dating the new year started on 25 March, the feast of the Annunciation. This was used in many parts of Europe in the Middle Ages. The style was started by Dionysius Exiguus in AD 525. Annunciation Style was used in the Kingdom of Great Britain until 1 January 1752, except Scotland which changed to Circumcision Style dating on 1 January 1600. The rest of Great Britain changed to Circumcision Style on 1 January after the change in Great Britain from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar on 3/14 September 1752.

Other websites

 * New Year's Around the World – slideshow by Life magazine