January 1st is synonymous with New Year’s Day just like July 4th will always be Independence Day (at least for Americans).
But has it ever struck you that observing the start of the year in the middle of winter seems a little arbitrary? Wouldn’t it make more sense to begin the annual calendar in the spring? That’s when new plant growth is sprouting and animals are having their young—not to mention the fact that you could attend the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square without having to dress like a polar explorer.
Starting the year in spring is not too far-tetched. A number of ancient cultures chose this time. The oldest recorded new year festivities date back to 2000 B.C. in ancient Mesopotamia.1 Being an agricultural society, it made sense for them to start the calendar shortly after the spring equinox.
Ancient Egypt also relied on farming, but they started their year in July. This was because they tied it to the appearance of the star Sirius, which generally corresponded with the annual flooding of the Nile River. This yearly inundation of the fields is what enabled the Egyptian farmers to produce bumper crops of grain.
Our modern calendar began with the Romans, who also gave us the names of our months. In 45 B.C., Julius Caesar reformed the official calendar, beginning the year on the first day of January. Since this month was named in honor of Janus, the god of beginnings, it made sense for it to mark the start of the year.
While the Julian calendar introduced an extra day every four years, it still had an annual error of 11 minutes. Over the centuries, this discrepancy became noticeable. Finally, in the 1570s it was corrected by Pope Gregory XIII and we continue to use the Gregorian calendar today.
Since the earth’s trip around the sun is a circuit, we could begin our year at any point we choose. Maybe one day it’ll be on September 1st, the start of the federal government’s fiscal year. Or how about April 16th, the day after we’ve filed our taxes? (That really would be worth celebrating.)
But where it occurs now, at the end of the December holidays, New Year’s Day seems perfectly situated to help us reflect on and celebrate the passing of the old year, and then look forward to possibilities for the year to come.
Like every year so far, 2025 promises to have its share of joyful surprises and unforeseen challenges. In our personal and financial life, it’s good to be prepared for both.
We wish you and your loved ones a happy and prosperous new year.
If you ever have any questions about your investments or retirement plans, please feel free to give me a call at 801-545-0696.
Regards,
Mark Lund
Stonecreek Wealth Advisors, Inc.
10421 South Jordan Gateway, Suite 600
South Jordan, UT 84095
Sources:
1. http://go.pardot.com/e/91522/january-calendar-date-history-/95zyvs/2551122446/h/CSpruvgx3r-jOXj9ZZudhhYqQHs3M4hRl-cut8dP6wE
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