The tradition of starting the new year off with goals of improvement is by no means a modern custom.
It is a ritual dating as far back as the time of ancient Babylonians, who celebrated the coming of the new year in modern day March.
In the middle of the second century BCE, the Roman senate decreed the year would begin instead on Jan. 1, according to Laura Banducci, a professor of Greek and Roman studies at Carleton University.
ìJanuary was probably named after the god Janus, the god of transitions, of endings and beginnings, and a sort of door-keeper,î Banducci said.
ìJanus is depicted as a two-faced godóone face looking forward, the other facing backwardólooking forward to the new year while considering the past. According to one Roman author named Ovid, at the beginning of January, Roman people spoke ëwords of good omení and gave offerings to Janus and small gifts called ëstrenaeí which included small coins and fruits.î
Babylonians also made promises to their gods at the beginning of the year, usually about returning borrowed objects and paying off their debts, according to a recent article by Ancient-Origins writer and researcher April Holloway.
Banducci said there is not much evidence that January marked any kind of larger festival or celebration for the Romans, save the offerings to Janus.
ìIn the modern world, I think we place much more significance on the change of year. We have put so much symbolism in datesóthe chance for individual rebirth, for self-improvement,î she said.
ìWe might compare the importance we place on the arbitrary change between 2014 and 2015 to the importance someone in the ancient world may have placed on the change of growing seasonsóthe timing of activities like planting and harvesting meant much more than arbitrary dates. And we have evidence for many harvest and agricultural festivals to reflect this.
