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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Haghartsin Monastery, Armenia
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See-through cephalopod
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International Day for Biological Diversity
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Santa slalom
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Vijayadashami
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Where are these birds headed?
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Blue Skies in Beautiful Bavaria
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World Hippo Day, a giant celebration
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Olive grove, Valle dItria, Puglia, Italy
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Walking a rocky rainbow
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On a dark and stormy night...
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Angkor, Cambodia
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Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Tree frog, Costa Rica
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Maldives
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Pacific Rim Whale Festival
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Modica, Sicily, Italy
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Przewalskis horses
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World Bee Day
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Peggys Cove Lighthouse, Canada
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Lavender fields in Plateau de Valensole, France
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Pygmy three-toed sloth baby, Isla Escudo de Veraguas, Panama
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Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii, USA
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Eurasian red squirrel
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World Meteorological Day
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International Literacy Day
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Blue hour in Trondheim, Norway
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Merry Christmas!
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Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
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Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

