1 January
New Year's Day

New Year's Day has a rich historical background, deeply rooted in ancient Roman traditions. It became the official start of the year with the calendar reform initiated by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE, known as the Julian calendar. Prior to this, the Roman year began in March, with only ten months.

The Romans celebrated the start of the new year with grand ceremonies in honor of Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions. These festivities involved banquets, gift-giving, and joyous celebrations, all symbolizing new beginnings. The Christian church later adopted January 1st, making it the day to celebrate the Circumcision of Christ.

In Hungary, the calculation of years varied throughout the 11th and 12th centuries, and it wasn't until around 1100 that a more consistent and reliable method of dating years emerged. The adoption of January 1st as the official start of the year became widespread with the Gregorian calendar reform, initiated by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. However, it wasn't until 1691 that an ecclesiastical decision was made by Pope Innocent XI, making January 1st the official start of the civil year.

In addition to these historical milestones, many folk traditions are associated with New Year's Day. Due to the varying start of the year across the centuries, customs and beliefs have spread from the beginning of the Advent season up to March 1st. Many foods consumed on New Year's Day were believed to hold symbolic meanings and to bring prosperity and fertility for the upcoming year.

For example, poultry was avoided, as it was thought to scratch back the luck, while pork was favored because the pig "pushes forward" luck. Similarly, lentils and millet were popular, as their small seeds symbolized wealth and abundance. These traditions, often connected to divination rituals, aimed to ensure a prosperous and fertile new year.