18 Historical and Religious Aspects of New Year

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June 19, 2025

May 21, 2025

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Delve into the rich tapestry of history and religion surrounding the New Year. How did different cultures and religions perceive the transition from one year to the next throughout the centuries? Histories etched in time reveal how New Year celebrations evolved from ancient traditions into their modern forms.

These historical and religious nuances provide a deeper understanding of how the New Year was celebrated differently across times and communities. Themes of rebirth, renewal, and reflection have played an essential role in the calendar transitions, symbolizing hope and new beginnings as taught by diverse faiths and beliefs.

Ready to discover more about this intriguing blend of history and spirituality? Challenge yourself with more trivia that dives into the layers of cultural significance that illuminate how societies across ages honored the passage of time into a new year.

Check out similar quizzes:

President Harry S. Truman officially proclaimed the end of World War II on New Year’s Eve of which year?

1946

1944

1947

1945

In which country was a large selection of dinosaur fossils found on New Year’s Eve 2008?

USA

Brazil

China

Australia

In what year did both a blue moon and lunar eclipse appear on New Year’s Eve?

2007

2013

2009

2011

In past centuries, some Hungarians believed that animals were able to ____ on New Year’s Eve?

Dance

Celebrate

Speak

Sing

Part of the Hogmanay partying is to welcome friends and strangers, with warm hospitality and to wish everyone a ____ New Year?

Happy

Guid

Rich

Plentiful

2013 became the year of what animal after the Chinese New Year?

Dragon

Horse

Bear

Snake

The song ‘Auld Lang Syne’ was originally written by which poet?

Robert Burns

William Wordsworth

John Keats

Walter Scott

January has been named after God Janus (Latin word for door), in the Roman calendar. Janus is the God with two what?

Noses

Faces

Heads

Mouths

What event dictated the timing of New Year’s celebrations in ancient Egypt?

Flooding of the Nile

Royal birth

Death of a Pharaoh

Solar Eclipse

In Estonia, on New Year’s Eve, after eating dinner they should leave some food on their plates for who?

The cat

The dog

God

Ancestors and Spirits

In Russia, New Year’s eve was celebrated heartily because ___ was banned by the Communist Party?

Christmas

Easter

Champagne

Fun

In which ancient city was New Year’s first celebrated?

Rome

Alexandra

Athens

Babylon

Making resolutions for the New Year is thought to have first started by the Babylonians, who made promises to what?

Earn the favor of the gods

Repent for their sins

Make friends

Earn respect from their elders

Throughout the medieval and post-medieval periods, January 1 was supposedly the day on which Jesus did what?

Was born

Was Crucified

Turned water into wine

Got Circumcised

The New Year’s festivities that originated in Babylon found their way to Rome. In honor of Saturn what did they name it?

Saturnium

Saturnity

Saturnalia

Saturnista

In 1977 who reached No.33 in the charts with ‘It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve’?

Stevie Wonder

Conway Twitty

Barry Manilow

Tom Jones

On New Years Day 1578, Pope Gregory Xlll signed a law forcing Jews to pay for a ‘House of Conversion’. What did this do?

Convert Water into Wine

Convert Jews to Christianity

Convert Bread into Toast

Convert Christians into Jews

In Greece on New Year’s Day children go door-to-door to ask for permission to do what?

Play Football

Sing Carols

Drink Milk

Eat Olives

You can do better

Not bad

Great!

Find all our questions on this topic in this quiz: 101 New Year Trivia Questions for Any Time of the Year

Jennier Garro

Playing trivia is not only a fantastic way for our family to bond but also a tremendous opportunity for personal growth. Trivia challenges help us learn countless fascinating facts!