New
Year's Day falls on January 1 and marks the start of a new year
according to the Gregorian calendar. It marks the end of New Year's Eve
celebrations in the United States and gives many Americans a chance to
remember the previous year.
The start of New Year's Day, at midnight, is heralded by fireworks,
parties and special events, which are often televised. Very few people
have to work on the day itself. For many it is a day of recovery from
the New Year's Eve celebrations the previous night. In some towns and
cities, parades are held and special football games are played. The
birth of the first baby in the New Year is often celebrated with gifts
to his or her parents and appearances in local newspapers and on local
news shows. Many people make New Year's resolutions. These are usually
promises to themselves that they will improve something in their own
lives. Common New Year's resolutions are to stop smoking or drinking
alcohol, to lose weight, exercise more or to live a healthier lifestyle.
Public Life
Government offices, organizations, schools and many businesses are
closed in the USA on New Year's Day. Public transit systems do not run
on their regular schedules. Where large public celebrations have been
held, traffic may be disrupted by the clean-up operation. In general,
public life is completely closed down.
Background
The Gregorian calendar is widely used in many countries such as the
United States. This was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. The
Julian calendar that had been in use until then was slightly inaccurate,
causing the vernal equinox to move backwards in the calendar year. The
Gregorian calendar was not accepted everywhere and some churches,
particularly with origins in Eastern Europe, still use other calendars.
According to the Gregorian calendar, the first day of the year is
January 1.
Symbols
A common symbol of New Year's Day is Baby New Year. This is often a
white male baby dressed in a diaper, a hat and a sash. The year he
represents is printed on his sash. He rarely a newborn baby, as many
pictures show him sitting up or even standing alone. According to
mythology, Baby New Year grows up and ages in a single year. At the end
of the year he is an old man and hands his role over to the next Baby
New Year. Other symbols of New Year's Day are spectacular fireworks
exploding over landmarks and clocks striking midnight as the year
begins.
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