American celebration based on Gregorian calendar

As Americans celebrate Jan. 1 as the beginning of 2008, they are doing so because our calendar is based on the Gregorian calendar.

New Year's Day is the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It falls exactly one week after Christmas Day of the previous year. In modern times, it is Jan. 1.

In most countries, it is a holiday. It is a holy day to many of those who still use the Julian calendar, which includes followers of some of the Eastern Orthodox churches, and is celebrated on Jan. 14 of the Gregorian calendar due to differences between the two calendars.

Jan. 1 marks the end of a period of remembrance of a particular passing year, especially on radio, television, and in newspapers, which usually starts right after Christmas Day.

Publications often have year-end articles that review the changes during the previous year. Common topics include politics, natural disasters, music and the arts, and the listing of significant individuals who died during the past year.

Often there are also articles on planned or expected changes in the coming year, such as the description of new laws that often take effect on Jan. 1.

This day is traditionally a religious feast, but since the 1900s has become an occasion for celebration the night of Dec. 31, called New Year's Eve. There are often fireworks at midnight. Depending on the country, individuals may be allowed to burn fireworks, even if it is forbidden the rest of the year.

It is also a memorable occasion to make New Year's resolutions, which they hope to fulfill in the coming year; the most popular ones in the western world include to stop tobacco smoking or drinking, or to lose weight or get physically fit.

In all countries that use the Gregorian calendar, with the exception of Israel, New Year's Day is a public holiday.

Originally observed on March 15 in the old Roman Calendar, New Year's Day first came to be fixed at Jan. 1 in 153 BC, when the two Roman consuls, after whom, in the Roman calendar, years were named and numbered, began to be chosen on that date, for military reasons.

However in AD 525, Dionysius Exiguus set the start of the Julian calendar at March 25 to commemorate the Annunciation of Jesus; a variety of Christian feast dates were used throughout the Middle Ages to mark the New Year, while calendars often continued to display the months in columns running from January to December in the Roman fashion.

Among the 7th Century druidic pagans of Flanders and the Netherlands it was the custom to exchange gifts at the New Year, a pagan custom deplored by Saint Eligius, who died in 659 or 660, who warned the Flemings and Dutchmen, "Do not make vetulas, little figures of the Old Woman, little deer or iotticos or set tables for the house elf at night or exchange New Year gifts or supply superfluous drinks." The quote is from the Vita of Eligius written by his companion Ouen.

Most countries in Western Europe officially adopted Jan. 1 as New Year's Day somewhat before they adopted the Gregorian calendar.

This is sometimes called Circumcision Style, because this was the date of the Feast of the Circumcision, being the eighth day counting from Dec. 25.

In Pasadena, Calif., the Tournament of Roses Parade is held, with revelers viewing the parade from the streets and watching on television, followed by the Rose Bowl football game.

In Vienna, Austria, there is a New Year Concert.

Polar Bear Clubs in many northern hemisphere cities near bodies of water have a tradition of people plunging into the cold water on New Year's Day. The Coney Island Polar Bears Club in New York is the oldest cold-water swimming club in the U.S.

They have had groups of people enter the chilly surf since 1903.

In Philadelphia, the Mummers Parade is held on Broad Street.

The New Year's Day Parade is held in London.

In Brazil, two major cities, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, celebrate the New Year. Most famously in Rio de Janeiro, the world's biggest and most famous fireworks display, which occurs on the also famous Copacabana beach, drawing 1.5 to 2.5 million people to the beach.

Australian celebrations are held around the nation, especially in Sydney, where one of the world's largest fireworks displays draws 1 to 1.5 million people to the harbor.

Australia was one of the first countries in the world to celebrate the new year.

In New York City, the world famous 1,070-pound, 6-foot-diameter Waterford crystal ball located high above Times Square is lowered starting at 11:59 p.m., or the last minute of the year, and reaches the bottom of its tower at the stroke of midnight.

It is sometimes referred to as "The Big Apple" like the city itself.

In the Netherlands, Denmark and other European countries, the New Year is greeted with massive private fireworks.

This day is also the occasion to make bonfires of discarded Christmas trees in some countries.

In Russia, the new year is greeted by fireworks and drinking champagne. The new year is considered a family celebration, with lavish dinner tables and gifts.

The president of Russia normally counts down the final seconds of the "old year," as it is called in Russia.

A giant clock tower chimes in the new year, and it is customary to make a wish with each chime.

For South Koreans, the most popular way of celebrating New Year's Day is to travel to Jung Dong Jin, the place on the peninsula where the sun can first be seen each day.

In the U.S., a common image used is that of an incarnation of Father Time, or the "Old Year" wearing a sash across his chest with the previous year printed on it passing on his duties to the Baby New Year, or the "New Year," an infant wearing a sash with the new year printed on it.