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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Holi celebration in Jaipur, India
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Postcard from Italy
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Merry Christmas!
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Prayer flags in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan
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Angkor, Cambodia
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International Surfing Day
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What are these predators doing?
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Castle Stalker, Argyll, Scotland
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When life imitates art
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World Rivers Day
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A time-worn medieval marvel
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Happy Thanksgiving!
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Starry, starry night
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Celebrating Pi Day
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Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
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A cantilevered window to the past
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Bodie State Historic Park, California, United States
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The ‘potato chip bird’
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A gem in the Rockies
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Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park, California, United States
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Fossils of belemnites and ammonites, Jurassic Coast, UK
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Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
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A beautiful labyrinth
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Great white egret, Upper Bavaria, Germany
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Will we be ready for the ‘big one?’
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San Gimignano, Siena, Italy
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River Thames, London, England
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Short-beaked echidna, Adelaide Hills, Australia
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Celebrating our looming lunar neighbour
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Racing through the five boroughs
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