When Do You Celebrate the New Year?

December 27, 2023

So, when do you celebrate the New Year? Many people reading this post will think the question is silly. I thought it was until I looked a little deeper. I figured the answer should be simple. The celebrations are New Year’s Eve, December 31st, and New Year’s Day, January 1st. This year, 2023/24, that’s a Sunday and Monday. But it’s not that simple. It gets complicated. Other cultures, peoples, and religions honor the New Year in their own way and on their own time.

Bar Keepers Friend Around the World

Did you know that people use Bar Keepers Friend all around the world? Bar Keepers Friend has International Distributors from Argentina to Vietnam, China to Iceland, and beyond. Customers worldwide may use our products to help prepare their homes and businesses for New Year’s celebrations, but they don’t all celebrate on the same day.

For example, if you’ve eaten at a Chinese restaurant, you’ve probably seen the Chinese New Year. 2023 was the year of the Rabbit, and 2024 will be the year of the Dragon. The Chinese New Year is based on the first day of the lunar calendar, which fell on February 1st in 2022, January 2nd in 2023, and will fall on February 10th in 2024. The Chinese are not the only culture whose observance of the New Year doesn’t fall on January 1st.

Here Are More 

• Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish celebration of the New Year, will start at sunset on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024, and continue through nightfall on Friday, October 4th, 2024.
• The Ethiopian New Year is celebrated on September 11th.
• Cambodian and Thai New Year falls on April 13th, 2024. In 2023, it was observed on April the 14th.
• In Pembrokeshire, Wales, many observe the New Year or Hen Galan by the Julian calendar on January 13th.
• Hindu observances vary by sect, but most fall in March or April.
• The Vietnamese New Year Tet celebration varies by year between January 20th and February 20th. In 2024, it falls on Saturday, February 10th.

Not Everyone Watches the Ball Drop 

Here in the States, we celebrate New Year’s traditions, like dropping the ball on Times Square, playing Auld Lang Syne (translated from the Welsh old long since), and serving special menus on New Year’s Day. We make resolutions, give cheers, and set off fireworks. But not all the people around the world do the same. Many await their New Year Celebration in February, March, or May. I’m considering celebrating them all in 2024. Want to join me? Happy New Year!

About the Author

Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek, and on weekends (after COVID-19) he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook: A crash course in effective management.

If you enjoyed this post you might like, 1882 The Gilded Age and Bar Keepers Friend.