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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Crystal clear
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Portable portals into our imagination
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Happy Pi Day!
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Heavenly hot springs
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Prehistoric trails
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La Rocque Harbour, Jersey
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Tolkien Reading Day
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Peña Roya beech forest, Moncayo Natural Park, Aragon, Spain
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Grand slam tournament
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Two hungry baby beavers
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Home of the worst-smelling food?
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A painters palette of natures hues
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Maya site of Copán
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Strong sibling bonds
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European beech forest, Belgium
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Atlantic spotted dolphin near Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal
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Miravet, Catalonia, Spain
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All is calm
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Red rock formations, Sedona, Arizona, United States
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Big Bends birthday bash
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Santa slalom
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A view that’s out of this world
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A young jaguar on a riverbank, Pantanal, Brazil
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A legendary islet
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Sentinel of the sea
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Colourful house in Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil
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Mists over the Amazon
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Celebrating our looming lunar neighbour
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Kirkilai lakes, Biržai Regional Park, Lithuania
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World Maritime Day
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