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An Ancient New YearBy Jody Williams

New Year's Day is one ofthe oldest holidays. It mayhave first been celebratedabout four thousand yearsago. It was celebrated inBabylon. Babylon was anancient city. The first NewYear's celebrations were inthe spring. They lastedeleven days. Theycelebrated the planting ofnew crops. Now NewYear's Day is celebrated onJanuary 1. Janus was a Roman god. He was pictured with two heads.One head looked ahead. The other head looked back. Janus was asymbol for the New Year. It meant old and new. Today the NewYear's symbols are different. A baby means the new start of a newyear. An old man is the symbol for winding up an old year. Manycountries celebrate the New Year. Not all celebrate on the same day.Not all celebrate in the same way. Each country has its own traditionsof welcoming a new year.

An Ancient New Year

Questions1. When do people think that the first New Year's Day was

celebrated?A. about 50 years agoB. millions of years agoC. hundreds of years agoD. thousands of years ago

2. New Year's Day might have first been celebrated in ancientBabylon.

A. trueB. false

3. Why were early New Year's Days celebrated in the spring?

4. Who was Janus?A. a Roman godB. a person with two headsC. both A and BD. neither A nor B

5. What did Janus symbolize?

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6. What are two New Year's symbols that are used today?A. a ticking clock and a calendarB. an old man and a babyC. a baby and a ticking clock

How do you celebrate the start of a new year? Be sure to include thedate that the New Year is celebrated.

Over the years, many symbols have been used to represent a new yearand the passing of an old year. What symbols would you suggest?Explain your answer.