<P> Mesopotamia ( Iraq ) instituted the concept of celebrating the new year in 2000 BC and celebrated new year around the time of the vernal equinox , in mid-March . The early Roman calendar designated March 1 as the new year . The calendar had just ten months , beginning with March . That the new year once began with the month of March is still reflected in some of the names of the months . September through December , our ninth through twelfth months , were originally positioned as the seventh through tenth months . ( Septem is Latin for `` seven '' ; octo , `` eight '' ; novem , `` nine '' ; and decem , `` ten '' . ) Roman legend usually credited their second king Numa with the establishment of the months of January and February . These were first placed at the end of the year , but at some point came to be considered the first two months instead . </P>
<P> Mesopotamia ( Iraq ) instituted the concept of celebrating the new year in 2000 BC and celebrated new year around the time of the vernal equinox , in mid-March . The early Roman calendar designated March 1 as the new year . The calendar had just ten months , beginning with March . That the new year once began with the month of March is still reflected in some of the names of the months . September through December , our ninth through twelfth months , were originally positioned as the seventh through tenth months . ( Septem is Latin for `` seven '' ; octo , `` eight '' ; novem , `` nine '' ; and decem , `` ten '' . ) Roman legend usually credited their second king Numa with the establishment of the months of January and February . These were first placed at the end of the year , but at some point came to be considered the first two months instead . </P>
when did new year 's day become a holiday
when did new year 's day become a holiday
2000 BC
2000 BC