Happy New Year!
January 1, 2024
An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 1 of January, repeating indefinitely
Happy New Year! 🎊🎉🎊
In colonial America, it was customary to exchange small gifts on New Year’s Day and visit with friends and neighbors. One common (and fragrant!) gift was an orange with cloves stuck into it, which often formed designs. 🍊🍊🍊 Southern Americans traditionally ate black-eyed peas for New Year’s. The peas were thought to resemble coins and represented wealth and prosperity for the coming year.
Did you know? Great Britain and its colonies (including the future United States) didn’t celebrate New Year on January 1 until 1752. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated on March 25 (though January 1 was often used informally). Why March 25? It coincided with the Christian feast of the Annunciation.
Hip, Hip, Hurrah!, Peder Severin Krøyer, 1888
-Written by Anna Zemaitaitis, Communications and Design Officer
