Why do believers celebrate the New Year?

Many religions believe that true believers should not celebrate the new

year (Romans 14:1-5). They claim that the celebration of the new year is, like Christmas, rooted on paganistic practices (Jeremiah 10:2-4). But these religions are silent about the believers’ celebration of the rest of year’s holiday for taking a day’s off, and have time with families and friends. Celebrations like Valentine’s Day, where Christian couples can spend on lovely and romantic evening for each other in celebration of their physical, erotic, and romantic love for each other. It seems that other religions allow the believers to celebrate Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Day, Columbus Day, and in some states, groundhog day, Saint Patrick’s day, April fool’s Day, Earth’s Day, International Women’s Day, International Day for HIV, and even Cesar Chavez Day, among others, by taking a day’s off and drive out of town and enjoy the needed family time.

In terms of celebration, as of 2012, there are 11 federal holidays in the US, 10 annual holidays, and 1 quadrennial holiday. If these holidays are looked forward to every year, isn’t new year an anticipated celebration as well?

In all of these celebrations, there is a point of celebration. The Groundhog Day celebrated every February 2nd in PA, for example, is the day on which folklore states that the behavior of a groundhog emerging from its burrow is said to predict the onset of spring! The Groundhog Day celebration in North America has become the second largest groundhog celebration in the world.

Who does the world celebrate during New Year?

Who do the believers celebrate during the New Year?

Like little children growing beyond their Santa Claus and gift-receiving days, believers overgrow their childish and selfish practices of Christmas and focus more and more on the experience of Jesus Christ’s saving grace and bountiful mercies.  My experience of New Year was of a worldly celebration. Who would ever forget celebrating the New Year in the Philippines with bamboo cannons, fireworks, receiving money, feasting in relatives’ homes, seeing adults drunk and lose their minds. But with a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ, I have devoted my life into worship and praise to God for a new calendar year granted to us (Romans 14:5).

How did the celebration of the New Year start?

In the early Roman calendar with only ten months, the year begins with March 1. As Greek prefixes denote some meaning in the English language, December was the 10^th month of the year, as it was named with a prefix deca-. Consequently, November was named the 9^th month of the year because of its prefix ennea-; October and September were named based on the prefixes octo- and septa-, respectively. Numa Pompiliius, the second king of Rome added January and February around 700 BCE, making a total of 12 months in a year. In 46 BC, the Roman emperor Julius Caesar established January 1 as the New Year’s Day. Caesar felt that the year should begin with the month dedicated to his favorite god Janus, the two-faced god of the Romans. In order to execute this decree, Caesar ordered the violent revolution in Galilee, followed by the drunken revelry of the victory against the Jewish traditions. New Year has become a Julian calendar event after this proclamation. 

The first and earliest recorded celebration of the new year dated back 4000 BC in Babylon, a city in Mesopotamia, which is now the present day Iraq. The new year celebration was held during the vernal equinox in mid-March, the spring season when the sun crosses the plane of the equator. Day and night during the vernal equinox is equal in length, and is the beginning of the new agricultural season. This celebration focused on giving thanks for another planting season, a paid tribute to the gods, and renewal of vow to the community.

The Egyptians, Phoenicians and Persians, on the other hand, began their new year with the fall equinox, in mid-August. The Greeks celebrated the new year on the winter solstice, beginning on December 21, when the Sun is in its south most position, thus, days are shorter compared to nights.

What made the new year celebration paganistic?

Ancient people celebrated new year by performing rituals, like putting out fires they were using and starting a new fire to meet the new year. The Celts, for example, celebrated new year on November 1. They built sacred bonfires to scare away evil spirits and honor their sun god.

Ancient Romans gave each other gifts of branches from their sacred trees (Jeremiah 10:2-5). In later years, the Romans gave gold-covered nuts of coins imprinted with Janus’ face.     

Greece started the tradition of using a baby to signify the new year. This was also done in celebration of Dionysus, their god of wine and fertility. Even in ancient Egypt, babies were used as a symbol for rebirth.  This practice has become widespread in modern times.

New Year’s resolution is not a modern day practice, as we might think it is. It dated back in early Babylon. During the new year, Babylonians would resolve to do certain things, most popularly, to return farm equipment that they borrowed from their neighbors. Today, people would resolve to do things during the new year, like pay off outstanding debts, or lose weight.

In Scotland, it is believed that the new year is a day the bad omens and evil spirits are released into the world. In order to scare off these evil spirits and ward off bad omens, the Scots made tremendous noises. This practice evolved into firing guns, to fireworks and noisemakers.

In the US, it has become a tradition to eat black-eyed peas and greens 

during the new year. Peas are considered good luck and represents prosperity. Greens, like cabbage, kale, collards, are eaten to represents dollars, luck and prosperity. Eating pork and rice in some countries are considered to bring good luck to the family. The Dutch believe that eating donut during the new year brings good fortune.

Do we remember our own new year’s traditions? I remember Filipino women would wear polka dot dressed to signify money, lots of money, to come in during the new year. It is a known family tradition to prepare 12 kinds of fruits on a basket. Children would be advised to cling to the ceiling bar at the strike of midnight in order to gain more height.

All over the world, the new year is celebrated with wine, women and song. Depending on one’s culture, the celebration may vary, but it is never complete without drunkenness and revelry, without carousing and worldly pleasures, just like the olden days. There will always be the guidance of San Miguel, as a victorious angel of beer, the “inumin ng tunay na lalaki” (the drink of a real man). There are always songs that come from the heart in merriment, the songs of deranged minds because of the influence of alcohol. And if there are men of valor and influence in the merriment of the celebration, there will always be women ready to please and to entertain.

So should believers celebrate the new year?

I believe it is up to the believers! Can believers celebrate the new year? By all means, if God provides the believers with the reasons to celebrate it (Colossians 2:16-17)!

How should believers view the celebration of the new year then?

New Year is a calendar event. It is not unlike March 1, as a calendar event that somebody’s birthday is celebrated. It is not unlike September 27 as a calendar event that a married couple celebrates. It is not unlike February 14 as a calendar event the lovers, married or otherwise, celebrate in hotels, in exotic islands, and in candlelight dinner. New Year is a calendar event that we find an opportunity to celebrate someone who deserves our praise, our thanksgiving, our devotion, and our worship. New Year is celebrated, just like any other day in the year in recognition of one’s Source of life and blessings.

Of course, you should not be Chinese or Jewish in order to celebrate the New Year on January 1st. Chinese new year is not of fixed date, but can be celebrated between January 21, to  February 20. Jewish new year is celebrated between September 5 to October 5 as Rosh Hashanah.

In whatever event in life, believers should celebrate Jesus Christ. In whatever situation believers are in, they should focus on Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:23-24). We do not celebrate our own strength or capability but we recognize God as our Lord, and Jesus Christ as our Savior. So when we focus on what God has done to our lives, and when we, with faith and hope, offer our lives to God in the anticipation of a new year, and when we entrust our lives into the hands of the Almighty God for another year, is a spiritual celebration, and never paganistic at all.

So what if the practice of celebrating new year has paganistic roots? We celebrate Jesus Christ’s plan in our lives, and paganistic rituals have nothing to do with our focus in Christ during the celebration (1 Corinthians 8:1-6). We have been bought by a price of the blood of Jesus Christ. Our lives are for Him, and not for any paganistic rituals. It is only through Jesus Christ that we live, and so what ever we do, the love of Jesus Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit make our heart and mind at peace with Him. If the Holy Spirit prods you to give him praise and worship during the new year, then let His prodding be the reason for you to celebrate it. If the Holy Spirit prods you not to spend for the new year’s celebration, then let it be, as long as you do not forget to give to Him your tithes, because that is what belongs to Him.

If you know Jesus Christ, and follow Him, surely you will celebrate Him every day and all days of the year, and not just on the new year or the new year’s eve. There is more joy in Jesus in one day than there is in the world 365/24/7!

So how do true believers celebrate the New Year?

Do believers celebrate the new year by going through rituals around the bonfires with the purpose of scaring away the evil spirits? Or do believers celebrate the new year by renewing the flame of faith and service, of love and compassion, humbleness and forgiveness, that Jesus Christ created in the believers’ hearts when they first received Him as Savior and Lord (Galatians 5:22-25)? Or do believers celebrate the new year by asking the Holy Spirit’s fresh touch of fire once again, so that He can continue to empower believers in their desire for spiritual gifts and fruits of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:1)? If believers do, then they are not wrong in celebrating the new year because they have the right reasons for celebrating it.

Do you celebrate new year by giving each other gifts of branches from sacred trees? Do you celebrate the new year by giving and exchanging gold-covered nuts of coins with some idol’s imprint? Or do you celebrate the new year by giving the love or expressions of the love of Jesus Christ in your hearts (John 13:34-35)? If you focus on Jesus Christ’s model of sacrificial giving of self (Ephesians 5:2), then you are not wrong in celebrating the new year because you have the right reasons for celebrating it.

Do we focus our celebration of the new year on a baby who signifies a new or renewed life? Do we focus on this baby as a symbol of fresh beginning, a renewed page in life? Or do we focus on Jesus Christ as the very source of life (John 11:25-26)? Do we celebrate the new year for the god of wine and fertility, or do we celebrate the new year for the very Source of spiritual prosperity, happiness and blessings (1 Peter 1:8)? If we focus on Jesus Christ’s plan of joy unspeakable and full of glory, then we are right in celebrating the new year because we have the right reasons for celebrating it.

Do we focus on the new year’s resolution as a way of becoming better persons? Or do we focus on the saving grace of Jesus Christ to change our lives from a life of sin and unrighteousness to a life of godliness (1 Peter 2:9)? Or do we focus on the blood of Jesus Christ that never loses its power to save, to redeem and to preserve (Colossians 1:14)? If we focus on Jesus Christ’s invitation for a change of heart and mind, then we are not wrong in celebrating the new year because we have the right reasons for celebrating it.

Do we focus on the noisemakers and guns, and cannons and fireworks because we believe that these can drive away evil omens or bad luck while we celebrate the new year? Or do we focus on the power of the Holy Spirit to keep us away from temptations and protect us from the work of the enemy? Do we focus on God’s promise that He will never leave us or forsake us, and protect and preserve us from the attacks of the enemy? If we focus on the power of God upon our lives and not on the power of the enemy (Isaiah 41:10), then we are not wrong in celebrating the new year because we have the right reasons for celebrating it.

Do we focus on food and eating during the celebration of the new year? Do we lavish our tables with food for our family and guests, while we starve our souls of the Bread of Life (John 6:35)? Do we trust that God’s word in the Scripture brings us hope and the promise of eternal life in Heaven (Titus 1:2), or do we trust that green peas or rice, or green vegetables, or donuts, bring luck and prosperity instead? If we focus on the Bread of Life and the Living Water, then we are not wrong in celebrating the new year because we have the right reasons for celebrating it.

Do we celebrate the new year with outward manifestations of false hope of a better and more blessed life? Do we place our trust on polka dot dresses to bring us more money and financial stability? Or do we place our trust on 12 exotic fruits on our pantry to bring us prosperity throughout the year? Or should I cling to the ceiling bar at the strike of midnight in order to gain more height and gain more social adoration and acceptance? If we do, then we are entirely wrong in celebrating the new year because we have the wrong reasons for celebrating it.

Do we celebrate the new year with wine, women and song? Definitely, not. Believers are called in to the celebration a life set apart for the glory and for the service of God. Believers do not need wine in celebrating the new year, except the wine of the new covenant, which is the symbol of the precious blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:20). Believers do not need women in celebrating the new year, except to affirm our love to our mothers, sisters, and all other frail women who are in need of the strength and comfort of God (1 Timothy 5:1-2). Believers do not need to celebrate the new year with songs like “an auld lang syne”, or “a jolly good fellow”, but songs that give praise to the one who saved us from the miry clay and gave us the joy and the peace that the world can not give, and the power to say no to sin and unrighteousness.

New Year is a celebration of Jesus Christ.

            It is a celebration of everything He has done for our live, good or bad on our perspective, but perfect according to His plan. As we celebrate new year, we should remember that Jesus Christ is our Savior. He lives in our hearts. He sits in the throne of our heart. He is the Lord of our lives. Celebrating Jesus Christ then, is a 365/24/7 affair with the King of Kings and Lord of Lord.

May the new year provide us not only a short break from our busy lives, and hectic schedules. May the new year provide us a wonderful time to get together with family and friends in the real spirit of thanksgiving and worship. May the new year allow us to welcome in the coming year with the full hope and prayers for the continued and unconditional love, faithfulness, and presence of God in our lives. May the new year provide us once again with a great time to prayerfully set our goals for the year ahead.

If we start the year right with the Lord, He will make the right right according to His grand design, purpose and faithfulness (Colossians 3:17).

            The most important thing for the New Year is to keep ourselves from idols, love the Lord our God, be rich toward God, love one another, walk in truth, seek God first, and seek God’s face.

            Happy New Year!