While the new year starts on January 1st in most parts of the world to celebrate the birth of 12 months, some countries do not celebrate the beginning of the year on that specific date. The main reason is that different countries follow different calendars, with different dates for each occasion based on their religious and cultural factors. Previously, the New Year was celebrated in March, before the beginning of the Christian era. Later, however, the Romans began to consider January 1st, dedicating it to Janus, the god of new beginnings.
The Roman calendar was followed for over 16 centuries and was replaced by the Gregorian calendar by Pope Gregory in the 16th century. Since then, several countries have followed the Gregorian calendar for over 440 years to welcome the new year on January 1st. However, some countries that follow the lunar or lunisolar calendar do not rule out the year as December 31st. We've compiled a list of countries that don't welcome the new year on January 1st.
List of 7 Countries That Don't Celebrate New Years on January 1st
Country 1: India
India follows both the Gregorian calendar and the Shaka calendar, which explains why some states in India celebrate the New Year on January 1st, while others celebrate it on different dates. This multilingual country has residents of all religions, cultures and languages who follow the lunar and solar calendars.
- Punjab:The harvest festival of Baisakhi celebrated by Punjab in April marks the beginning of the first day of the month of Vaisakh. The land of five rivers celebrates the new year by participating in energetic Gidda and Bangra dances. Farmers thank nature for the bountiful rabi harvests with great enthusiasm. This day coincides with the formation day of the Sikh Khalsa, which makes it extra special.
- Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh:The states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka celebrate the new year with the Ugadi festivals to welcome the birth of the month Chaitra between the months of March and April. People decorate their homes with mango leaves and flowers. They prepare a dish called Pachadi, a recipe with six different flavors that represent the emotions of a person's life.
- Kerala:Malayalis of Kerala celebrate Vishu on 13th or 14th of April as a new year. The main element of this occasion is the preparation of “Vishukkani”, a huge plate full of vegetables, flowers, fruits, money and gold. The Vishukkani will be placed along with a statue of Lord Krishna and it will be the first thing people see right after they wake up to be blessed with a prosperous life. They prepare an elaborate 'sadhya' lunch with rice, vegetable curry, sauces and a sweet dish called pradhaman.
- Tamil Nadu:The people of Tamil Nadu welcome the first day of the month of Chithirai by celebrating Puthandu. They celebrate the new year by preparing delicacies such as vada, a sweet milk called payasam, and mongo pachadi with fresh mangoes, neem flowers and gur.
- Konkan, Goa and Maharashtra:The people of Konkan, Goa and Maharashtra celebrate the new year as the occasion of Gudi Padwa to mark the arrival of the spring month. People hold up a decorated bamboo pole called Gudi dvaja on this New Year's Day and serve sweet dishes like Puran poli and shrikhand to their relatives.
- They are:The Sindhi people celebrate their new year as the Jhulelal Jayanthi or Cheti Chand festival, worshiping Lord Varuna, the god of rains, preparing a great feast as an offering.
- Walking stick:The first day of the Bengali calendar is celebrated as Nabo Barsh or Pohela Boishak. Bengalis greet each other with Shubho Noboborsho and spend the day participating in melas, processions, parades and cultural events held for the occasion.
- Asam:The state of Assam celebrates the new year as the Bohag Bihu festival to mark the birth of the first day of the month of Bohag in mid-April. It is a harvest festival celebrated to thank nature for its bountiful supply. Assamese wear their traditional attire for the occasion, dance the Bihu and sing folk songs.
- Odisha:The people of Odia celebrate the traditional festival called Pana Sankranti or Maha Vishuba Sankranti on the first day of the month of Mesa according to the solar calendar. On this day, a fruit-based drink is served, the Pana prepared with wild apple, coconut, cream cheese, sugar, milk and spices. People welcome this new year with the hope of finding new opportunities, fulfilling dreams and making resolutions.
- Guyarat:Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year is celebrated the day after Diwali in the month of Kartik to usher in a new fiscal year. On this day, Gujaratis worship new account books called Chopda to gain more profit.
Country 2: Korea
Koreans welcome the first day of their lunar calendar with the celebration of the Lunar New Year, known as Seollal. It is a 3-day celebration that includes various activities such as visiting the hometown, devouring traditional delicacies, seeking blessings from elders, and playing ancient games with friends and family.
On this day, adults in Korean families wear their colorful traditional costumes called Hanbok. New Year's Day begins with the preparation for the Charye tradition, where the kinswomen prepare an elaborate menu and the kinsman serves it to his ancestors seeking their blessings. Later, they eat the foods blessed by their ancestors during the Eumbok ceremony to have a good year ahead. New Year's dish delicacies include pancakes called jeon with scallions and tteokguk, a rice cake soup with seaweed, meat and clear broth.
The Korean New Year celebration is never complete without people playing the traditional Yutnori board game with intricately designed sticks. The younger ones follow the important sebae ritual by kneeling and bowing to the elders to greet them. In return, the elders give them sebaetdon, which is money wrapped in vibrating bags.
Country 3: China
The Chinese celebrate the Lunar New Year, which is also known as the Spring Festival according to the lunar calendar dates which comes with an official 7-day holiday. Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the spring harvest season and includes a 15-day celebration. The Chinese New Year date falls between January 21st and February 20th. Each year is considered the year of a specific animal based on the 12-year animal zodiac cycle. This year, the lunar year was celebrated on February 1, and it is called the year of the tiger.
The Chinese celebrate the New Year by offering red envelopes full of money and decorating their homes in red and gold, indicating prosperity. Guests are served various special delicacies such as mooncakes stuffed with eggs and a rice dish called the eight treasures. The streets of China display a dazzling scene filled with dancing dragons in vibrant colors and brightly lit lanterns.
Country 4: Sri Lanka
During the month of April, the people of Sri Lanka celebrate Aluth Avurudda to mark the arrival of the month of spring. The occasion begins with boiling fresh milk in clay pots until it drips to symbolize flowing wealth. Traditional sweets such as Kavum based on coconut oil and rice and banana-based dishes are served.
Country 5: Bali
Balis follow the Saka calendar to celebrate Nyepi, their new year in the month of March. The entire island is an epitome of serenity and silence as they turn off all sounds and lights and have no traffic or conversation. The island of Bali comes to a halt on New Year's Day as they engage in self-realization and meditation to hone values such as compassion, humanity, patience and kindness.
However, large-scale celebrations are held on the eve of Nyepi with beautiful parades with huge Ogoh-ogoh, which are burned to banish miseries, evil and disease from the island.
Country 6: Iran
The Iranian New Year, Nowruz, which falls on the vernal equinox, has been celebrated for over 5,000 years. On this day, families enjoy a full 7-course meal, prepare colored eggs and light a candle for a bright year. They clean the cemeteries of their loved ones, plant trees, lay flowers and pray for happiness and prosperity.
Country 7: Cambodia
Cambodian New Year, also known as Khmer New Year, is a 3-day festival celebrated when the sun enters the sign of Aries, according to the solar calendar. This occasion marks the arrival of the rainy season and the last day of the harvest. The Khmer New Year is full of rituals and traditions like Maha Songkran, Virak Wanabat and Leang Saka.
It doesn't matter if the new year arrives on January 1st or another date, the important thing is that we are enthusiastic and optimistic as we welcome each new year to celebrate life to the fullest.