January Holidays From Around the World

 Each month, we ask our Crowd to tell us about the special holidays they celebrate. During January, it was all about how different countries celebrate the New Year. Our Crowd spans across the globe and that means some many unique traditions and holidays center around the New Year. Read on to learn more about how our Contributors celebrated. 

January 1, New Year’s Day (WorldWide)

In many parts of the world, including the United States, New Year’s falls on January 1st. This tradition has its roots all the way part to Ancient Rome. January 1st was named after the Roman god of beginnings, Janus. In most places, it is recognized as a national holiday and directly follows the festivities of New Year’s Eve. 

January 22, Tết Nguyên Đán, Festival of the First Day (Vietnam)

Tết is a celebration held in Vietnam as part of the Lunar New Year. This holiday is considered to be one of the most important celebrations in Vietnamese culture. The date for Tết usually falls in either January or February. People celebrate with fireworks, family gatherings, ancestor worship, and Lion dances.

January-February, Chinese New Year (Worldwide)

In Chinese, the Chinese New Year is commonly known as the Spring Festival. This celebration marks the end of winter and is associated with several myths and customs. Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture and is celebrated by many different ethnic groups.

January 22, Seollal (South Korea)

This holiday is a traditional Korean festival that commemorates the New Year. Seol means “year of age” as the celebration marks when Koreans grow a year older. Seollal originates from folk festivals and common beliefs held by Korean people referring to the period of time between New Year’s and the first full moon.