Here’s When the Real ‘New Year’ Takes Place, According to Astrology

Why Is New Year’s Celebrated in January?

The date that New Year’s is celebrated all depends on where you’re located and what culture you’re involved with. For example, Lunar New Year always takes place sometime between January 21 and February 20, and Persian New Year takes place on the date of the spring equinox, which is usually March 20. There are several different reasons—such as religious, agricultural, and astrological—to support the validity of each date. But the official date celebrated in most of the world is always January 1, as this is the date established by the 365-day Gregorian calendar.

Believe it or not, celebrating the New Year on January 1 is a somewhat recent development. In the American colonies and Great Britain, the practice officially began in 1752, according to TIME. Prior to this, the date observed was March 25, which is the Feast of the Annunciation (when the Christian and Catholic world celebrate the incarnation of Jesus Christ within Mary’s womb).

Why Is the Real ‘New Year’ in March?

For thousands of years, the New Year has been celebrated at the beginning of spring, which is a fact not lost on spiritualists and astrologers. If you follow the cyclical transitions of the zodiac wheel, a new year always begins when the sun enters Aries, which also happens to be the moment of the spring equinox. The symbolism of spring is far more in line with the idea of starting fresh and going after new goals. After all, spring is when the ice of winter thaws, replenishing the natural world and causing new seeds to germinate, sprout, and eventually blossom. Spring is when the bears finally wake up from hibernation with renewed hunger; when the eerie quiet of winter is replaced with melodic birdsong.

It’s also important to note that Aries—the first sign in the zodiac wheel—is associated with action, direction, assertion, and motivation. It’s during Aries season that we feel energized and open to something new, ready to go after our desires like our lives depend on it. And because the natural world has been sleeping all winter long, life actually does depend on our forward movement during spring.

If you’re having trouble following your New Year’s resolutions already, let me offer you the option of postponing them until March 19 at 11:06 p.m. ET, which is the moment spring begins and the sun enters Aries during 2024. Feel free to give yourself a break and go back into hibernation until then. Wintertime demands it.