New Year celebrations have been around for thousands of years! A long time ago, the people of Mesopotamia celebrated the first New Year festival, called Akitu, in spring when they harvested barley. In ancient Egypt, the new year started in July when the Nile River flooded. The Romans later changed the date to Jan. 1 to honor Janus, the god of beginnings. Many countries now use the Gregorian calendar and celebrate the new year on the same date!
New Year celebrations have been around for thousands of years! A long time ago, the people of Mesopotamia celebrated the first New Year festival, called Akitu, in spring when they harvested barley. In ancient Egypt, the new year started in July when the Nile River flooded. The Romans later changed the date to Jan. 1 to honor Janus, the god of beginnings. Many countries now use the Gregorian calendar and celebrate the new year on the same date!