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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International Day of Peace
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Stretching to the sky
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St. Paul Winter Carnival
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Whats blooming so brightly?
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Taughannock Falls State Park, New York
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Lands End, Cornwall, England
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A scented sea of purple
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World Bicycle Day
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International Womens Day
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A street filled with sakura trees
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Rugged coasts and temperate rainforests
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Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
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Star Wars Day
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International Sloth Day
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Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
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Scottish Blackface sheep, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
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The Rainbow Bridge
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Aerial view of Venice, Italy
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Nature’s own canvas
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Hop into Lunar New Year
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Spring equinox
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Huntington Beach Pier, California, USA
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World Space Week
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An ocean of stars above the desert
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Where are these illuminated walkways?
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Happy International Zebra Day!
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Banff National Park, Alberta
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
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The oldest way to fly
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Tolkien Reading Day
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