Happy New Year! Jan 1, 2025

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.

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Today in History

Napping near the North Pole
Jan 1, 2024Happy New Year!
Jan 1, 2026Happy New Year!

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May 20, 2024World Bee Day
Apr 19, 2026Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Sep 29, 2025Rainbow houses, Houten, Netherlands
Sep 6, 2025Pacific Park, Santa Monica State Beach, California, United States
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Jan 20, 2024Macaroni penguins
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Jan 17, 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
Oct 23, 2023Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania
Feb 3, 2025Ribblehead Viaduct, North Yorkshire, England
Oct 27, 2023Sligachan Old Bridge, Isle of Skye, Scotland
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A remote oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert
Mar 26, 2026Logan Creek Suspension Bridge, West Coast Trail, Canada
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Mar 21, 2025Happy International Day of Forests!
Jan 15, 2025Chital, Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Stripes in sight
Jan 13, 2026Hen Galan
Jul 1, 2024Fisgard Lighthouse, British Columbia, Canada
Jul 30, 2024San Gimignano, Siena, Italy
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, United States
Like sands through the hourglass
A triumphant pose
There’s more to Pisa than leaning towers
Jul 9, 2025Independence Day of the Argentine Republic
Sep 18, 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu Prefecture, Japan