When the Year Begins: A Global History of New Year Celebrations

Few human ideas are as universal – and as variable – as the New Year. Every civilization needed a moment to say “this is the beginning”, yet the answer depended on the sky, the harvest, religion, power, and sometimes sheer political will. From Babylonian priests watching the stars to imperial decrees by emperors and tsars, the New Year has constantly moved through time.

This is the story of when, why, and how humanity decided the year should begin.

The First New Years: Ancient Civilizations

Babylon (c. 2000 BCE): The Year Begins with the Moon

In Babylon, the New Year festival Akitu began in March, aligned with the first new moon after the spring equinox.

• It lasted 11–12 days

• Celebrated the renewal of nature

• Reaffirmed the king’s legitimacy (he was ritually humiliated before the gods)

• Tied to agriculture and cosmic order

For Babylonians, time itself needed divine approval each year.

Ancient Egypt: When the Nile Rises

The Egyptian New Year began with the heliacal rising of Sirius, coinciding with the annual flooding of the Nile (late July).

• The flood meant fertility, survival, rebirth

• Time followed the rhythm of water, not rulers

This was one of the earliest solar-based calendars.

Ancient Greece: Many Cities, Many New Years

There was no single Greek New Year.

• Athens: summer (after the solstice)

• Sparta: autumn

• Often linked to religious festivals, not agriculture

Time in Greece was local, civic, and sacred.

Rome: From March to January

Early Romans celebrated New Year on March 1—a date still embedded in the names:

• September = seventh month

• October = eighth month

In 153 BCE, Rome officially moved New Year to January 1, honoring Janus, god of doors, thresholds, and beginnings.

Later, Julius Caesar’s calendar reform (46 BCE) fixed January 1 permanently.

India: Many Calendars, Many New Years

India never had one New Year, because it never had one civilization.

Common themes:

• Spring harvest

• Solar transitions

• Astrological precision

Examples:

• Ugadi (South India): March–April

• Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra): spring

• Vaisakhi (Punjab): April 13–14

• Diwali as New Year for merchants

Indian timekeeping blends cosmos, agriculture, and ritual purity.

China: Why January–February?

Photo by Elina Sazonova

Chinese New Year follows a lunisolar calendar:

• Begins on the new moon between January 21 and February 20

• Marks the end of winter and the return of life

Key elements:

• Family reunions

• Ancestor worship

• Red for protection

• Fireworks to scare away evil spirits

It is less about the number on the calendar and more about renewing harmony.

Carthage & the Phoenician World

In Carthage, New Year likely followed Phoenician lunar traditions, connected to:

• Trade cycles

• Seasonal sailing

• Fertility rites

For maritime civilizations, time followed the sea and stars.

Russia: From September to January

Old Russia

Until the end of the 17th century:

• New Year = September 1

• Based on Byzantine tradition

• Year counted from the Creation of the World

Peter the Great’s Revolution

In 1699, Peter the Great decreed:

• New Year = January 1

• Year numbering aligned with Europe

• Fireworks, decorated trees, public celebrations introduced

It was not just a calendar reform, it was a civilizational pivot toward Europe.

The Christmas Tree: From Pagan Ritual to Global Icon

Origins

• Ancient Germanic tribes decorated evergreen trees during winter solstice

• Symbol of life surviving death

Christian Adoption

• First documented Christmas trees: 16th-century Germany

• Spread via royal courts

Russia

• Introduced by Peter the Great

• Became fully popular only in the 19th century

In the Soviet era, the tree was rebranded as a New Year tree (ёлка), religion removed, magic preserved.

Santa Claus: From Bishop to Myth

St. Nicholas

• 4th-century bishop in Myra

• Known for secret gift-giving

Transformation

• Dutch Sinterklaas

• American poems (1823)

• Coca-Cola illustrations (1930s)

Result:
A red-coated, secular, global figure – Santa Claus, detached from Christmas and embraced by New Year celebrations in many countries.

Why January 1 Won

Despite ancient diversity, January 1 triumphed because of:

• Roman administrative power

• Christian Europe’s influence

• Globalization and trade

• Bureaucracy needing one date

Yet millions still celebrate other New Years, proving that time is cultural, not absolute.

A Thought to Close

The New Year is not just a date – it is a promise.

Whether marked by:

• A rising star

• A river flood

• A lunar cycle

• A political decree

• A family dinner

• Or a child waiting for gifts

Humanity has always needed a moment to say:

“The past is behind us. Let us begin again.”