The Church's View of New Year Celebrations

In the first centuries AD, the Catholic Church condemned the continued New Year festivities, citing paganism. But as Christianity further spread, the early church began having its own religious observances which coincided with numerous pagan celebrations; thus, New Year's Day was the same. Some denominations still observe New Years as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision.

During the Middle Ages, the Church remained opposed to celebrating New Years. January 1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years.