User:Icem4k/Work space2: Difference between revisions

[[Image:Menologion of Basil 047.jpg|thumb|200px|In Christendom, under which the Gregorian Calendar developed, New Year's Day traditionally marks the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, which is still observed as such by the Anglican Church and the Lutheran Church.]]

Mesopotamia (Iraq) instituted the concept of celebrating the new year in 2000 BC, celebrated new year around the time of the vernal equinox, in mid-March.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.infoplease.com/spot/newyearhistory.html |title=A History of the New Year |first=Borgna |last=Brunner |publisher=Infoplease.com |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/5-ancient-new-years-celebrations |title=5 Ancient New Year’s Celebrations |first=Evan |last=Andrews |newspaper=History News |date=31 December 2012 |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref> The early Roman calendar designated March 1 as the new year. The calendar had just ten months, beginning with March. That the new year once began with the month of March is still reflected in some of the names of the months. September through December, our ninth through twelfth months, were originally positioned as the seventh through tenth months (septem is Latin for "seven," octo is "eight," novem is "nine," and decem is "ten.")

The first time the new year was celebrated on January 1 was in Rome in 153 BC (In fact, the month of January did not even exist until around 700 BC, when the second king of Rome, Numa Pontilius, added the months of January and February.) The new year was moved from March to January because that was the beginning of the civil year, the month that the two newly elected Roman consuls - the highest officials in the Roman republic - began their one-year tenure. But this new year date was not always strictly and widely observed, and the new year was still sometimes celebrated on March 1.

In 46 BC Julius Caesar extend year to 445 days (annus confusionis). The normal number of 355 days had already been increased by the addition of the ordinary 23 days, inserted after February 23. As many as 67 days, divided into two menses intercalares, were now interposed between November and December. This year thus consisted of 15 months. After this “year of confusion,” the new calendar really started. Since 153 BC, January 1 was the day new consuls in Rome took office and Romans had commonly used the name of the two consuls to identify a specific year in question.  Thus, by officially making January 1 start the New Year, it simply lined up with the consular year. One proposed reason for this switch is that January is thought by most to have been named after the god of transitions and beginnings, Janus, during the reign of the second King of Rome, Numa Pompilius, who lived from 753–673 BC.  Thus, it was naturally enough for the Romans to eventually decide to make the switch. However, whether this is the reason or not is very much up for debate. There is no consensus on the question.<ref>Michels, A.K. ''The Calendar of the Roman Republic'' (Princeton, 1967), p. 97-8.</ref> After Julius Caesar reformed the calendar in 46 BC as the Julian Calendar and was subsequently murdered, the Roman Senate voted to deify him on 1 January 42 BC,<ref>{{cite book |last=Warrior |first=Valerie |year=2006 |title=Roman Religion |publisher=Cambridge University Press |pages=110 |isbn=0-521-82511-3}}</ref> in honor of his life and his institution of the new rationalized calendar.<ref>Courtney, G. ''Et tu Judas, then fall Jesus'' (iUniverse, Inc 1992), p. 50.</ref> Dates in March, coinciding with the March Equinox, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of ''''''Jesus Christ'''''', or other Christian feasts were used throughout the Middle Ages as the first day of the new year, although their calendars nonetheless often continued to display the months in columns running from January to December.

In 567 AD the Council of Tours abolished January 1 as the beginning of the year. At various times and in various places throughout medieval [[Christian Europe]], the new year was celebrated on Dec. 25, the birth of Jesus; March 1; March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation; and Easter.

Among the 7th century pagans of Flanders and the Netherlands, it was the custom to exchange gifts on the first day of the new year. This custom was deplored by Saint Eligius (died 659 or 660), who warned the Flemish and Dutch: "(Do not) make vetulas, [little figures of the Old Woman], little deer or iotticos or set tables [for the house-elf, compare Puck] at night or exchange New Year gifts or supply superfluous drinks [another [[Yule]] custom]."<ref>Quoting the ''Vita'' of St. Eligius written by Ouen.</ref> However, on the date that European Christians celebrated the New Year, they exchanged Christmas presents because New Years' Day fell within the twelve days of the [[Christmastide|Christmas season]] in the [[Western Christianity|Western Christian]] liturgical [[calendar]];<ref name="Forbes2008">{{cite book|last=Forbes|first=Bruce David|title=Christmas: A Candid History|date=1 October 2008|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=9780520258020|page=114|quote=Some people referred to New Year's gifts as "Christmas presents" because New Year's Day fell within the twelve days of Christmas, but in spite of the name they still were gifts given on January 1.}}</ref> the custom of exchanging Christmas gifts in a Christian context is traced back to the [[Biblical Magi]] who gave gifts to the [[Child Jesus]].<ref name="Collins2010">{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Ace|title=Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas|date=4 May 2010|publisher=Harper Collins|isbn=9780310873884|page=88|quote=Most people today trace the practice of giving gifts on Christmas Day to the three gifts that the Magi gave to Jesus.}}</ref><ref name="Berking1999">{{cite book|last=Berking|first=Helmuth|title=Sociology of Giving|date=30 March 1999|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=9780857026132|page=14|quote=The winter solstice was a time of festivity in every traditional culture, and the Christian Christmas probably took its place within this mythical context of the solar cult. Its core dogma of the Incarnation, however, solidly established the giving and receiving of gifts as the structural principle of that recurrent yet unique event. 'Children were given presents as the Jesus child received gifts from the magi or kings who came from afar to adore him. But in reality it was they, together with all their fellow men, who received the gift of God through man's renewed participation in the divine life' (ibid.: 61).}}</ref>