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TL;DR: New Year's Day on January 1 stems from the Gregorian calendar established by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, inheriting the tradition of choosing January 1 as the start of the year from ancient Rome. In Vietnam, this holiday was adopted during the French colonial period and gradually became an official public holiday, carrying the meaning of a fresh start, rest, and family gatherings alongside the traditional Lunar New Year.
What is New Year's Day and how is it different from Lunar New Year?
New Year's Day is a holiday that takes place on January 1 each year, marking the beginning of a new year according to the solar (Gregorian) calendar. It is an international holiday, recognized and celebrated by many countries around the world, including Vietnam.
In Vietnam, it is important to distinguish between two New Year occasions:
- New Year's Day (January 1 of the solar calendar): also called Western New Year, tied to the Gregorian calendar, international and modern in character.
- Lunar New Year (the first day of the first lunar month): also called Vietnamese New Year, tied to the traditional lunar calendar, the most important holiday of the year for Vietnamese people.
These two New Year occasions coexist and do not replace each other. Lunar New Year still holds a central role in the cultural, belief, and spiritual life of Vietnamese people, while New Year's Day creates a rhythm of rest and a new beginning according to the international calendar cycle.
Comparison table of calendar reform milestones and the years countries adopted the Gregorian New Year's Day.
| Milestone or country | Time | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Romulus calendar | around 753 BCE | 10 months, beginning from the day containing the vernal equinox |
| Numa calendar | 715 - 673 BCE | 12 months, ordinary year 355 days, leap year 385 days |
| Roman Republic calendar | around 450 BCE | two years had the month Mercedonius with 377 and 378 days, the other two years had 355 days |
| Rome chose January 1 as the start of the new year | 153 BCE | little respected due to cultural and political customs |
| Gregorian calendar | 1582 | Pope Gregory XIII established it, changing January 1 into the first day of the new year |
| Germany | 1700 | adopted the new year's day |
| England | 1752 | adopted the new year's day |
| Sweden | 1753 | adopted the new year's day |
| Japan | 1873 | adopted the Gregorian new year's day |
| China | 1912 | adopted the Gregorian new year's day |
| Russia | 1918 and 1924 | adopted this day on two occasions |
Origins of New Year's Day: From the Roman Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar
From the Romulus Calendar to the Julian Calendar
According to historical records, the history of New Year's Day originates from the calendar system of ancient Rome. The Roman calendar was created by Romulus (the founder of Rome, around 753 BCE) based on the lunar system used by the Greeks. This calendar was called the Romulus calendar, consisting of 10 months, beginning from the day containing the spring equinox (around March 21 in today's solar calendar).
The second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius (715-673 BCE), improved the Romulus calendar into the Numa calendar with 12 months. A normal year of the Numa calendar had 355 days, and in a year with an intercalary month, it had 385 days.
During the Roman Republic period (around 450 BCE), the Numa calendar was modified into the Roman Republic calendar. According to this calendar, two years with the month Mercedonius would consist of 377 and 378 days, and the other two years had 355 days. Although more accurate than previous calendars, the Roman Republic calendar was still very complex and often miscalculated for various reasons.
Based on this calendar system, Rome was the first country to choose January 1 as the start of the new year from 153 BCE. However, this was little respected due to cultural and political customs in different regions of Rome.
By the time of Emperor Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE), this calendar system was fundamentally improved into the Julian calendar, laying the foundation for today's solar calendar. Julius Caesar's new calendar was applied fairly uniformly across the Roman Empire, still keeping January 1 as the first day of the year. To commemorate him, the Senate renamed the month of his birth (July) from Quintilis to July.
Later, Caesar's grandnephew Emperor Augustus also received a similar honorary reward. Accordingly, the name of August was changed from Sextilis to August, because he had corrected errors in the calculation of leap years.
The Gregorian Calendar Turning Point in 1582
New Year's Day originates from the Gregorian calendar, the calendar system established by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Previously, countries used the Julian calendar, but this calendar had discrepancies in time calculation, causing spring not to fall exactly on the first day of the year.
To fix this problem, Pope Gregory XIII decided to revise the calendar and move January 1 to the first day of the new year, replacing December 25 of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was adopted by many Roman Catholic countries and gradually spread to other nations.
The Julian calendar had no important modifications until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII took office. He unified modern calendar calculation methods to divide months and years, revised and confirmed the date of the new year as January 1 despite all opposition from Christian associations.
Spread Around the World
Catholic countries were the earliest to adopt New Year's Day, followed by Protestant countries. Germany accepted the new year date from 1700, then England in 1752 and Sweden in 1753.
Eastern countries influenced by multiple religions such as Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Islam also gradually adopted a calendar similar to the Christian one. Japan accepted the solar New Year's Day in 1873 and China in 1912.
Eastern Orthodox churches accepted New Year's Day later, around the 1920s. Russia accepted this day twice, first in 1918 and second in 1924.
How did New Year's Day come to Vietnam?
In Vietnam, New Year's Day was adopted during the French colonial period, when the Western calendar began to be used alongside the traditional lunar calendar. Government offices at that time were given days off to organize New Year celebrations. Today, New Year's Day has been Vietnamized and has become a traditional holiday for all people.
Notably, this introduction did not occur as a cultural replacement, but as a supplement. Vietnamese people still keep Lunar New Year as the most sacred holiday, while accepting New Year's Day as an administrative, international, and modern time marker.
Why is New Year's Day a public holiday in Vietnam?
Administrative and Legal Reasons
The fact that New Year's Day became an official public holiday is tied to the modernization of the administrative system, when the solar calendar became widely used in work, transactions, and international relations. When the state, businesses, and schools operate according to the solar calendar, January 1 becomes the natural starting point of the working year, school year, and fiscal year.
Cultural and Social Reasons
New Year's Day is not simply the start of a new year according to the calendar, but also carries deep cultural and social meanings. It is an occasion for people to look back on what happened in the past year and plan for the new year.
In a festive atmosphere, people often organize parties, meet friends and family, and send good wishes to each other. New Year's Day is an opportunity to express love, care, and the desire for good things to come to everyone in the new year.
Economic and Life Reasons
In addition, New Year's Day is also an occasion for each person to look back on themselves, evaluate achievements and failures in the old year, and from there draw lessons and set new goals. It is also a time to rest, relax, and recharge for new challenges.
In the context of globalization, New Year's Day has become an international festival, not only in Western countries but also welcomed in many East Asian countries, including Vietnam.
How do Vietnamese people celebrate New Year's Day?
Festive Atmosphere and Community Activities
Although Lunar New Year remains the most important holiday of the year, New Year's Day has created a fresh atmosphere, especially among young people and companies in Vietnam. Many people take this occasion to rest, travel, or participate in entertainment activities, connecting with friends and colleagues.
On New Year's Eve, Vietnam organizes fireworks and countdown parties. Special art programs are also held grandly to welcome the arrival of a new year. In many countries, New Year's Day is celebrated with special activities such as fireworks, parades, and music festivals. Major cities often organize vibrant events to welcome the new year, creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere for residents.
Family Gatherings and Small Parties
On this occasion, Vietnamese families often organize small parties and send New Year wishes to each other. Like elsewhere, warm meals with family and friends are an indispensable part of the New Year's Day atmosphere in Vietnam.
In Vietnam, New Year's Day is an occasion for families to gather together. Families often return to their hometowns to visit grandparents and parents. Some families organize trips and picnics full of joy and happiness.
What does New Year's Day mean spiritually?
New Year's Day carries the meaning of love. On this day, people often send each other wishes with loving feelings for everyone. Even if the old year still has incomplete things, in the moment of New Year's Eve, starting the new year, we decide to forget all past sorrows and keep only present joy, singing loudly the song of hope for a new year.
In the new year, everyone wishes for the best things for their family's life as well as the country, which is a life of peace, happiness, and prosperity. New Year's Day is therefore not only a day off, but also a gentle spiritual ritual, helping people rebalance after a 365-day cycle.
How does New Year's Day compare to Lunar New Year?
It can be seen that the two New Year occasions serve two different functions:
- New Year's Day: international, administrative, modern; tied to work schedules, short breaks, travel, and contemporary entertainment activities.
- Lunar New Year: traditional, spiritual, familial; tied to ancestor worship, extended family gatherings, and ancient customs.
This coexistence reflects a characteristic of Vietnamese culture: adopting new elements without losing original ones. New Year's Day does not overshadow Lunar New Year, but adds a rhythm of rest and an opportunity for a new beginning in the year.
