🎉 New Year's Day Countdown
When is New Year's Day?
New Year's Day is always January 1st — a fixed date every year. The countdown above always points to the next upcoming New Year's Day and rolls over automatically once it has passed.
The history of New Year's Day
New Year's Day marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year. The tradition of celebrating the new year on January 1st dates back to 45 BCE, when Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar and set January 1st as the start of the Roman year, partly to honor Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings and doorways. The date was reaffirmed when Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582, which is the calendar most of the world uses today.
In the United States, New Year's Day has been a federal holiday since 1870. It's widely celebrated with countdowns to midnight, fireworks, parties, and resolutions for the year ahead — Times Square's ball drop in New York City is one of the most famous celebrations.
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Frequently asked questions
New Year's Day is always January 1st, the first day of the Gregorian calendar year.
Yes — it's an official U.S. federal holiday, so banks, schools, post offices and most government offices are closed.
Once January 1st has passed, the countdown automatically points to next year's New Year's Day instead.
Yes for the Gregorian calendar used by most countries, though some cultures also celebrate a separate new year on a different date, such as Chinese New Year.