2015-01-01

501 New Sunrise

Why 1st January is the first day of the year?

Like every other describable knowledge, this can be clicked and checked on the internet. To my surprise (though I had imagined this to some extent), there is nothing connected with astronomic or scientific fact, and roughly it's all about the calendar we use. Today's new year's day has nothing to do with the specific day which the daylight is the shortest of all (winter solstice), nor the equinox which has equal daytime and nighttime and seems more appropriate for the beginning of the year. Beyond all these natural facts, the new year's day rules the calendar in (so to say) a cultural way. 


It's interesting that it has no specific reason for being the most eminent day of all and also that no one seems to care or question it. It's interesting that there is no specific religious ceremony (like Christmas day) nor historical anniversary on the date, and the day is just a civil custom only linked with the universal system of counting time. I admire the fact and suppose that's why this is easily accepted all around the world.


So the sunrise on new year's day means nothing in astronomic way, but every year the new years sun looks shining so brightly for the special day without special reason, which makes us happy.

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