Celebrations
Today is the first day of 2025 for some people: This is who celebrates the New Year today, Jan. 14
Many countries celebrated Jan. 1 as first day of the new year and the Gregorian calendar. Here are some people who welcome the New Year on Jan. 14.
Many countries have already rung in the new year through various celebrations held on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, through Jan. 1. However, some people in the United States are welcoming the new year on Tuesday, Jan. 14, which is equivalent to Jan. 1 on the Julian calendar.
Many Orthodox Christians in the United States celebrate the New Year on Jan. 14, also referred to as Old New Year.
The Orthodox New Year is not an official public holiday but is celebrated within communities with ties to countries and traditions that historically followed the Julian calendar.
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Old New Year celebrated by Eastern Orthodox Christians
For many Orthodox Christians, the Orthodox New Year is both a cultural and a religious event.
It often coincides with the end of the Nativity season, as Jan. 13 (Old New Year’s Eve) follows shortly after Orthodox Christmas (Jan. 7 in the Gregorian calendar).
These celebrations are often private or community-focused rather than widely observed. Groups that may celebrate the Old New Year include Eastern Orthodox Christian Communities who follow the Julian calendar for religious observances, even if they live in countries like the U.S. where the Gregorian calendar is standard.
Immigrant groups from countries that historically celebrated the Old New Year may continue the tradition in the U.S. as part of preserving their heritage, such as Russians, Serbians, and Ukrainians.
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How Orthodox New Year is celebrated
Celebrations include family gatherings, sharing traditional foods, music, and dance, and sometimes attending special church services.
For some people in the United States, especially younger generations, the Old New Year is celebrated more as a cultural tradition than a religious one.
Some families or communities use the occasion as a chance to have another party or meal after the Gregorian New Year.
The Old New Year isn’t widely recognized in the United States, but it holds cultural and religious importance for many immigrant and diaspora communities, helping them maintain a connection to their roots.
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