So what's with the silence here tonight?

[TRYPHO]

Everyone went mad Xmas eve and Chanukah going on and on about what Xmas meant and whether or not people should express their religions on others or shine their enjoyment in others faces. So how come no-ones moaning about choosing January 1st for the New Year, which is an equally arbitrary choice for celebrating our "new year". Yes, its not so far off of the Winter Solstice, so the winter is about to start in earnest (well, in the Northern hemisphere), but thats no excuse for a "new year" to start now. The calendar has gone through so many arbitrary and random changes to come to a systems that approaches the Earth's standard/ish rotation period, with a regular addition every 4th year so we don't roll forward too fast, and perhaps another day every 500 years or so to fine-tune it even better. (You wouldn't want to celebrate the winter solstace whilst sunbathing at the beach - again reference just to the Northern Hemisphere here).
Most systems of calendar have 4 separate "annuals" in their calendar:
1. Calendar.
2. School.
3. Financial.
4. Religious.

So in the UK we have these:
1. Jan 1st
2. Sept 1st.
3. April 5th
4. Jan 1st?

(sorry - don't know for sure when US schools start, or financial year end is)

Well, perhaps the Western World needs to re-think the New Year date, or perhaps the Church got it wrong by putting Jesus' Birth-Celebration so close to the calendar start?

Any quiet months in the calendar? July or August don't have much in them - if the Christian "new year" was then I bet it would be much better repsonded to or better accepted/appreciated etc.

Another of the early church leaders failing?

Just a thought since the forum is so quiet!

Happy "new calendar" to you all.

TRYPHO

[Glorfindel]

1. I think no one cares

One day is as good as another to celebrate the beginning of a new year. Having it this close to Christmas just give a good excuse for a loooong holiday. Here in the U.S., the proximity of Thanksgiving makes for a REALLY looooong "holiday season." I've been campaigning for years in my family to celebrate the Epiphany, Twelfth Night, January 6th (Old Christmas) as our occasion for exchanging gifts. This would further extend the holiday season AND allow us to take advantage of the post-Christmas sales. But, as always, nobody ever listens to me. ;(

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Well, Noorus is in spring

Noorus is the Zoroastrian New Year, and is still celebrated by most Persians. Actually, the beginning of spring was the new year in many ancient calendars, including the Roman one, which at one time didn't even have a name for the months of winter, January and February (according to The Straight Dope, by Cecil Adams).

And of course the lunar New Year is still a ways off as well-this is celebrated in Asia, and I believe the Chinese New Year is one of the few official holidays recognized by the People's Republic.

I've celebrated Noorus with Persian friends, and frankly I like it. At one point, you jump over a fire to rid yourself of all bad things that have accumulated during the last year. And of course there is a marvelous feast with special foods that are to bring you good fortune for the next year. We danced and read from Hafiz as well.

Jan. 1 is the day I do the end of year bookwork for the Foundation where I live. That's what THAT day means to me.

[Meshuga]

3. Perhaps we should make more shit up :-)

Like I heard someone say somewhere "Assuming Jesus was born on the 25th of December, with him being a Jew, New Years Day is a celebration of his brit milah (circumcision)".

So happy "holy foreskin" day!

[fedsron2us]

4. You are too late

The Circumcision of Christ is already a recognised Christian festival celebrated on the 1st January

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Circumcision

His foreskin was also at one time a much prized Holy Relic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Prepuce

[Meshuga]

5. I'm very late

Holy shit! This is too funny! Did you see the following "fact" provided by your second link: "According to 17th century theologian Leo Allatius (Leone Allacci), the foreskin may have divinely ascended to become the rings of Saturn."

[eyl]

6. As I understand it was the other way around

The circumcision of Jesus was already a holiday, so when the Gregorian calander was drawn up the beginning of the year was set to coincide with it.