Major holidays · in 215 days
When is New Year's Day?
New Year's Day 2027 is on Friday, January 1, 2027.
New Year's Day 2027 falls on Friday, January 1, 2027.
The first day of the calendar year and a public holiday across most of the world. It marks fresh starts, resolutions and the end of the holiday season.
In 2026, it falls in ISO week 1. Need the full year's calendar? See all 2026 weeks, or browse every other date.
At a glance
The history of New Year's Day
January 1 became the start of the year in 46 BC when Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar, replacing an older Roman calendar that began in March. Christian Europe later moved the start to March 25 in many places, before the Gregorian calendar reform of 1582 restored January 1 across most of the world. Britain and its colonies didn't adopt it until 1752. The Times Square ball drop in New York has marked the moment since 1907 and is now broadcast worldwide.
How New Year's Day is celebrated
Most cultures mark midnight with fireworks, champagne and gatherings. Resolutions, the Vienna New Year's Concert, the Rose Parade in Pasadena, and southern US dishes like black-eyed peas and collard greens all sit on January 1. In many countries January 1 is a federal holiday with banks and government offices closed.
Did you know?
About 41% of Americans say they make a New Year's resolution.
Roughly one billion people watch the Times Square ball drop each year.
Spain has the tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight, one per stroke of the clock.
The Gregorian calendar took centuries to be adopted globally; Greece switched as late as 1923.
New Year's Day in upcoming years
How the date is set
Always January 1. The public holiday shifts to the nearest weekday when it lands on a weekend.
Sources & further reading
For more detail on New Year's Day, see these references.
Related dates
New Year's Day: questions and answers
When is New Year's Day 2027?
New Year's Day 2027 falls on Friday, January 1, 2027.
What day of the week is New Year's Day this year?
In 2026, New Year's Day is a Thursday, January 1.
How is the date of New Year's Day determined?
Always January 1. The public holiday shifts to the nearest weekday when it lands on a weekend.