New Year's Day

The good people of Han-tan were in the habit, every New Year's day, of presenting their Governor, Chien Tzü, with a number of live pigeons.

1912, Lionel Giles, Taoist Teachings from the Book of Lieh Tzŭ, London: John Murray, →OCLC, page 118:

A holiday celebrating the first day of the New Year, celebrated on January 1 in cultures following the Gregorian calendar.

Nuwejaarsdag

holiday occurring on the first day of the year


New Year's resolution

en-noun

New Year's resolution (plural New Year's resolutions)

He made a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking.

Felt that I had reason, from the stupidity of my heart, to fear that my New-Year's resolutions were made too much in my own strength.

1762 February 26, Seth Coleman, “Journal”, in Memoirs of Doctor Seth Coleman, A.M. of Amherst, (Mass.) […], New Haven, Conn.: Printed by Flagg & Gray, […], published 1817, →OCLC, page 99:

If you direct me, on your authority as a priest of our Church, to renounce these acquaintances as dangerous, and to put by all the books of Dissenters, I am here, ready, from this moment, to obey. It shall be my New Year's resolution.

1850, [Elizabeth Missing Sewell], chapter XXXIV, in [William Sewell], editor, Margaret Percival in America: A Tale. […], 2nd edition, Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson & Company, →OCLC, page 245:

Young man—young woman! There [the "book of human character"] is the journal of your daily life; there is the remembrancer that records no compliments, no flatteries, only the plain honest truth; blotted it may be with passages of sin and shame, and let us hope here and there with penitent tears; dedicated, let us pray, for its future pages, with a new year's resolution that shall be answered and blessed in the record.

1869, E[dwin] H[ubbell] Chapin, “The Book of Human Life”, in Providence and Life: Select Sermons Preached in the Broadway Church, New York, Cincinnati, Oh.: Williamson & Cantwell, publishers, →OCLC, page 257:

I never saw but one person who succeeded in keeping a New Year's resolution, and he had pined away so rapidly in his physical and grown so abnormally in his moral man, that it was really painful to look at him.

1869, George P[utnam] Upton, “The New Year”, in Letters of Peregrine Pickle, Chicago, Ill.: The Western News Company, […], →OCLC, page 78:

The public library is safely and surely a blessing to the community. It drives out the dram-shops faster than New Year's resolutions. It is the friend of good manners, clean homes, and sweet reasonableness.

1906 December 19, Benjamin Ide Wheeler, “The Things Worth While for a People”, in Proceedings at the Opening of the Seattle Public Library Building: December 19, 1906: The Gift of Andrew Carnegie, [Seattle, Wash.]: The Ivy Press, published 1907, →OCLC:

The railway department made one unanimous New Year's resolution,—"To work for a reduction of accidents, an improvement in service and an increase in revenue."

1925 December, “In Other Departments”, in Al C. Joy, editor, San Joaquin Power Magazine, volume VII, number 12, Fresno, Calif.: San Joaquin Light & Power Corporation, →OCLC, page 23, column 1:

In a broad sense, New Year's resolutions have accompanied the world's cultures and civilizations for millennia. As far back as ancient Mesopotamia, people were resolved to set their affairs in order, clean their homes, return borrowed items, settle debts, and mend broken relationships before the turn of each year. […] The Puritans of Great Britain, a radical group of Christians born from the Protestant Reformation, have been credited with laying the groundwork for the modern New Year's resolutions in the West.

2008, William D. Crump, “Resolutions”, in Encyclopedia of New Year’s Holidays Worldwide, Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, →ISBN, page 207, column 2:

Despite her bad-girl persona, Lex had quickly ferreted out the true Amelia, and he undoubtedly already realized she was the type who would, eventually, want the white picket fence, kids, the whole deal. Despite his New Year's resolution though … would he want all that?

2015, Leslie [A.] Kelly, “No More Bad Girls”, in New Year’s Resolution: Romance! (Harlequin Anthology), Don Mills, Ont.: Harlequin Books, →ISBN, chapter 3, page 165:

A 2022 New Year resolution for the industry must be to restore the publication and distribution of timetables.

2022 January 12, Industry Insider, “Treasury demands cutbacks”, in RAIL, number 948, page 68:

A vow that one makes on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day for the coming year.

新年的计划 (xīnnián de jìhuà) (may be translated thus; concept does not exist culturally)


happy New Year

A wish said around the start of a new year to wish someone well for the New Year (holiday) or for the (entire) new year.

ܪܹܝܫ ܫܲܢ݇ܬܵܐ ܒܪܝܼܟ݂ܵܐ

rēš šattā brīḵā

良いお年をお迎え下さい

よいおとしをおむかえください


New Year

In particular, January 1 in the Julian and Gregorian calendar (New Year’s Day) and the days following.

Nuwe Jaar

January 1 in the Julian and Gregorian calendar and the days following

újév (strictly speaking, only the first day of the year, as opposed to új év, the year that started not long ago)


New Year's Eve

The holiday occurring on the last day of the year, celebrated on December 31st in cultures following the Gregorian calendar

watchnight

whereas watch night is the night that begins at sundown on New Year's Eve and ends with sunrise on New Year's Day

not identical to New Year's Eve – New Year's Eve is the entire day before New Year's Day


qualtagh

PIE word
 *ḱóm
Borrowed from Manx qualtagh, quaaltagh (“first person one meets after leaving the house; first person one meets on New Year’s Day”, literally “one who meets or is met”), from quaail (“act of meeting; a meeting”) (ultimately from Old Irish comdál, from com- (prefix meaning ‘with’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, by; near; with”)) + dál (“part, share; land in which a tribe lives”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂- (“to divide; to share”))) + -agh (suffix forming adjectives and nouns expressing belonging, a connection to, having, or an involvement with). The interfix -t- may be modelled after an unattested form of Old Irish comaltae (“foster-brother; companion”).

cog

A company of young lads or men, generally went in old times on what they termed the Qualtagh, at Christmas or New Year's Day to the house of their more wealthy neighbours; some one of the company repeating in an audible voice the following rhyme:– […] they were then invited in to partake of the best that the house could afford.

[1835, Archibald Cregeen, “Quaal′tagh or Qual′tagh”, in A Dictionary of the Manks Language, with the Corresponding Words or Explanations in English; […], Douglas, Isle of Man: […] J. Quiggin, […]; Whittaker, Treacher, and Arnot, […]; Evans, Chegwin, and Hall, […], →OCLC, page 132, column 2:

On these occasions a person of dark complexion always enters first, as a light haired male or female is deemed unlucky to be a first-foot or quaaltagh on New Year's morning. The actors of the quaaltagh do not assume fantastic habiliments like the Mummers of England or the Guisards of Scotland, nor do they, like these rude performers of the ancient mysteries, appear ever to have been attended by minstrels playing on different kinds of musical instruments.

1845, Joseph Train, “Manners and Customs”, in An Historical and Statistical Account of the Isle of Man, from the Earliest Times to the Present Date; […], volume II, Douglas, Isle of Man: […] Mary A. Quiggin, […]; London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 115:

The Manx attach great importance to the qualtagh, or first person met with on the occurrence of any particularly important event, as in going to the fishery, the first day of the new year, a birth-day or a christening. On these occasions, in order to insure good luck or to avert an evil eye, they make a present of food or drink to the person met. The present Bishop of Bath and Wells, when Bishop of Sodor and Man, upon one occasion was the qualtagh of a poor christening party, […] and very kindly partook of their humble offering.

1861, Joseph George Cumming, “Manners and Customs”, in A Guide to the Isle of Man with the Means of Access thereto and an Introduction to Its Scenery: […], London: Edward Stanford, […], →OCLC, page 22:

Who would the ‘Qualtagh’ to a parish be?

1875, Oscar Harrison, The Isle-iad; or, King Orry’s Banquet. A Fragment of a Mankish Tale, Douglas, Isle of Man: James Brown & Co., page 59; quoted in Joseph Wright, editor, The English Dialect Dictionary: […], volumes IV (M–Q), London: Henry Frowde, […], publisher to the English Dialect Society, […]; New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons, 1903, →OCLC, page 667, column 1:

On New Year's Eve there occurred an incident which greatly increased the tension at Claddagh House. Mrs. Colquitt was in a painful state of agitation about the quaaltagh, or first person who should cross the threshold after midnight. If he happened to be dark, she anticipated some wonderful slice of luck; if light, a continuance of misfortune; and if a spaagaght or splay-footed person, nothing short of a calamity. […] [S]he kept trotting up and downstairs, being imperatively urged to confide to Mona her wish that the quaaltagh might be somebody she had just thought of, a different somebody each time.

1887, Hugh Coleman Davidson, “Suspense”, in The Green Hills by the Sea: A Manx Story […], volume III, London: Hurst and Blackett, […], →OCLC, pages 4–5:

[page 79] At present New Year's Day is the time when the qualtagh is of general interest, and in this case he is practically the first person one sees (besides the members of one's own household) on the morning of that day, whether that person meets one out of doors or comes to one's house. The following is what I have learnt by inquiry as to the qualtagh: all are agreed that he must not be a woman or girl,[…]. The prevalent belief, however, is that he should be a dark-haired man or boy, […] An English lady living in the neighbourhood of Castletown told me that her son, whom I know to be, like his mother, a pronounced blond, […] called at a house in Castletown on the morning of New Year's Day, and he chanced to be the qualtagh. The mistress of the house was horrified, and expressed her anticipation of misfortunes to the English lady; […] [page 90] Mr. [Alfred] Nutt: […] [I]f red-haired and splay-footed people, the qualtaghs were not likely women of the aboriginal race, i.e., assuming this race to have been a dark, small, high-instepped one.

1892 March, John Rhys, “Manx Folk-lore and Superstitions. II.”, in Folk-lore: A Quarterly Review of Myth, Tradition, Institution, & Custom, volume III, number I, London: David Nutt, […], →OCLC, pages 79 and 90:

"I should be the first-foot here, only I'm no use as a qualtagh," said Philip. / "Why not?" / "I'm a fair man, and would bring you no luck, you know."

1894 January–July, Hall Caine, chapter II, in The Manxman, London: William Heinemann, published 3 August 1894 (1 September 1894 printing), →OCLC, part II (Boy and Girl), page 71:

The "White Boys," the "Hunt the Wren Boys," and "Quaaltaghs" received the dessert.

1911, John Clague, Cooinaghtyn Manninagh: Manx Reminiscences, Castletown, Isle of Man: M. J. Backwell, →OCLC, page 11:

The Foolish Fortnight and its gaieties may have been relinquished under the relentless pressure of modern life as we choose to live it, but at least one of the old New Year rituals is still quite vigorous amongst us – the Qualtagh, or First Foot.

1966, Mona Douglas, “The Foolish Fortnight and the Qualtagh Tradition”, in This is Ellan Vannin again: Folklore, Douglas, Isle of Man: Times Press, →OCLC, page 84:

Did you ever use to go as the ‘quaaltagh?’ […] I did indeed!

1977, Jennifer Kewley Draskau, quoting John Gell, “Verbs”, in Practical Manx, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, published 2008, →ISBN, page 126:

(Isle of Man) The first person one encounters, either after leaving one's home or (sometimes) outside one's home, especially on New Year's Day; a first-foot.


New Year's

From New Year + -'s. Possibly influenced by New Year's Day and New Year's Eve, or by phrases such as New Year's celebrations.

We spent last New Year's at her parent's house.

Every New Year's at least one of our windows gets broken.

The holiday commemorating (the beginning of) the new year.


Ded Moroz

Borrowed from Russian Дед Моро́з (Ded Moróz, “Old Man Frost”).

bor

A fictional man in Slavic culture who delivers presents to children on New Year's Eve.


first-foot

en-noun

first-foot (plural first-foots or first-feet)

first-foots (plural)
first-feet (plural)

(Northern England, Scotland) The first person to enter the home of a household on New Year's Day.

მეკვლე

first person to enter the home of a household on New Year’s Day


namahage

A demon-like being in Japanese folklore, portrayed by men in ogre masks and traditional straw capes during a New Year's ritual of admonishing badly-behaved children.


happy Near Year

From everyone here at "Chum central."

2002 January 1, Helpful GM, “CL: Happy near year”, in comp.sys.mac.games.adventure (Usenet), retrieved 2023-01-01:


Apple Gifting Day

Apple Gifting Day (plural Apple Gifting Days)

A traditional celebration where individuals exchange apples as a symbol of good health for the upcoming year, observed annually on January 1.


Snegurochka

the Snow Maiden, a character in Russian folklore who assists her grandfather Ded Moroz in bringing gifts to children every New Year.