Did you know that today – 25 March – used to be New Year’s Day in England right up until this country’s very late adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1752?

25 March in the western church’s calendar is the Feast of the Annunciation, commemorating the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus. It is also of course near the date of the spring equinox as well as of Easter.

As there’s no compelling scientific reason for choosing any particular day as the start of the year, it at least makes poetic and emotional sense to celebrate the New Year at the same time as we’re celebrating spring and new life than in the cold midwinter dark of January.

Other notable New Year’s Days this year include last month’s Chinese New Year, and Al Hijra (Islamic New Year’s Day) on 7 December 2010 (1 Muharram, 1432 AH).

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