New Year's Day

Holiday

Next Thursday, 1 January 2026

New Year’s Day in Canada is more than just the first day of the year- it’s a time for reflection, relaxation, and embracing new beginnings. With schools and businesses closed, the day offers a chance to recover from festive celebrations, reconnect with loved ones, or simply enjoy a slower pace.

Happy New Year

New Year’s Day Traditions

Rest and Recovery

New Year’s Day is normally a day spent recovering from New Year’s Eve celebrations, which last until the early hours of the morning.

Traditional Food

On New Year's Day, Canadians eat foods like lentils, pork, and grapes for prosperity, abundance, and good fortune. A traditional feast includes roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and desserts, paired with champagne or mulled wine. 

Resolutions

A very popular custom is to make resolutions - promises to improve oneself during the new year.

Common resolutions are losing weight, giving up smoking or other bad habits, and doing more exercise. However, most people fail to follow through within the first few days of the year.

Around 4,000 years ago, the Babylonians, at the beginning of each year, would crown a new king or pledge their loyalty to the reigning king. They also made promises to the gods to do such things as paying off their debts and returning borrowed items. If they kept their vows, the gods would bless them. They would gain their disfavor if they broke them.

The Romans also made similar promises to their god, Janus - the god of gateways and beginnings. Janus was two-headed, one facing backward, to the past, and the other facing forward, into the future. Julius Caesar’s calendar established January 1 as the new year in 46 BCE.

Janus
The Roman Deity Janus

Fireworks Display

Fireworks display is a trademark symbol of New Year's in Canada. Some of the most prominent fireworks shows are hosted in Niagara falls, Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, and Montreal's Old Port.

Superstitions for Good Luck

Embrace Canadian New Year traditions by opening your doors at midnight, ensuring your home is spotless, and stocking your pantry to invite luck and prosperity for the year ahead.

Church

New Year’s Day church services are commonly held. Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, to honor Mary’s motherhood.

Polar Bear Plunges

Across Canada, brave crowds gather to take an icy dip in frigid waters, often for charity and community causes. These chilly traditions, held in various provinces, bring people together to celebrate resilience and raise funds for meaningful causes.

Polar Bear Plunge
Bracing Up for a New Year's Swim

CHECK THE COUNTDOWN TO NEW YEAR'S DAY!

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