00:00hey everyone welcome back to the origin story where learning meets fun have you ever wondered
00:15why we celebrate new year's eve with fireworks countdowns and big parties all over the world
00:20today we're diving into the surprising and fascinating history of new year's eve
00:26buckle up because the story takes us back thousands of years across different cultures
00:31let's go the first ever new year celebrations date back to ancient mesopotamia over 4 000 years ago
00:40imagine that people back then would celebrate the new year in mid-march around the spring equinox
00:46their celebration called akitu marked the rebirth of nature and the victory of the gods
00:52isn't it amazing how long we've been marking the new year
00:56but it wasn't until the romans came along that new year's eve as we know it started to form
01:02julius caesar yes the same guy we learned about in history class reformed the calendar in 46 bce
01:09he declared january 1st the beginning of the new year to honor janus the roman god of beginnings and
01:17endings janus is usually depicted with two faces one looking back at the past and one looking forward
01:23to the future pretty fitting for new year's right fast forward to modern times from medieval europe
01:31where new year was a more religious affair to today where it's all about fireworks resolutions
01:36and celebrating with friends and family did you know that the famous new year's eve ball drop in
01:42times square started in 1907 that's over 100 years of counting down to midnight
01:48today new year's eve is celebrated all over the world with each culture adding its unique twist
01:55in spain people eat 12 grapes for good luck as the clock strikes midnight
02:00in japan they ring bells 108 times to cleanse themselves of the past year's sins
02:06and in brazil people wear white and jump over seven waves for good fortune
02:11how do you celebrate new year's eve let us know in the comments below no matter how or where you
02:20celebrate new year's eve is all about reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future
02:24it's a night that connects us all across time and cultures so this year as you count down to
02:32midnight remember you're part of a global tradition that's been going strong for millennia
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