When is New Year’s 2023? Here’s what to know.


The countdown to the New Year practically begins when the previous one ends. On January 1 of every year, people ring in the New Year with resolutions to change and parties filled with good times. 

But why do we celebrate New Year’s and how did the holiday originate? Its current state of champagne toasts and midnight kisses has not always been how New Year’s was celebrated.

So, here is what you need to know about New Year’s 2023, plus getting to know more about its origins, traditions and celebrations. 

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When is New Years 2023? 

New Year’s Day is Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. Since it falls on a Sunday, the public holiday of New Year’s is Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. 

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When is New Year’s Eve? 

New Year’s Eve is Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. 

Why does the new year begin on January 1?

New Year’s festivities date back thousands of years to ancient Babylon, where the first new moon after the vernal equinox signified the start of a new year. The festival of “Akitu” lasted for 11 days with a different ritual on each. 

The Roman calendar followed a similar format with its new year occurring at the vernal equinox, having 10 months and 304 days in a year, according to History.com. The months of Januarius and Februarius were later added thank to to king Numa Pompilius. 

In 46 B.C., emperor Julius Caesar introduced a new Julian calendar which instituted January 1 as the start of the new year, taking the namesake of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings. Roman celebrations for New Year’s included exchanging gifts, giving offerings to Janus, decorating homes with laurel branches and attending parties. 

The date of New Year’s changed for several years as Christian leaders in Europe moved the first of the year to December 25 and March 25, according to Britannica. When the Gregorian calendar was made in 1582 by the Catholic Church, Pope Gregory XIII reestablished January 1 as New Year’s Day. 

However, many cultures and religions celebrate their New Year’s on other days. For example, in the Jewish religious calendar, the new year is marked on Rosh Hashanah which occurs between September and October depending on the year. Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year, is a celebrated for a month usually beginning in late January or early February. 

Credit:                      CBS / Apple TV                                             Join Charlie, Snoopy  and the rest of the gang for a New Year's Eve bash.

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New Year’s celebrations, traditions explained

Modern New Year’s celebrations often begin New Year’s Eve on December 31. In the U.S., the tradition of the Times Square ball drop counts down to midnight, or the official start of the new year on January 1.



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