Why January 1 Is the New Year

In the early days of Rome, the calendar had only ten months and the winter period now covered by January and February were considered to be monthless. Possibly mythical king, Numa Pompilius, successor to King Romulus (founder of Rome) instituted the months of January and February. January was considered to be the door to the new year.

During the Middle Ages, the new year was sometimes considered to be opened by the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 (when the Angel Gabriel was believed to have told Mary she would conceive Jesus) and at other times on Christmas Day. It wasn’t until the sixteenth century that Europeans returned to celebrating January 1 as the opening of the new year.