Sixth Grade
Worksheets
New Year's Day Traditions
The celebration of a new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4,000 years ago. Back then, the new year began around the time of the first day of spring in late March. The date was changed to January 1 in 46 B.C. when the Julian calendar was introduced. For most of the world, the start of a new year has been on that date ever since.
The tradition of making new year's resolutions also goes back to the early Babylonians. A new year's resolution is promise people make to themselves to drop a bad habit or to improve their lifestyle. The most popular resolutions are quitting smoking, losing weight, and starting a fitness routine.
Bringing in a new year with fireworks is a tradition that dates back to ancient Chinese new year celebrations. Fireworks were used to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. Some of the biggest New Year's Eve fireworks displays in the United States can be seen at the stroke of midnight in New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
