Why do we Celeberate New Year?
New Year New Beginnings
This is a great question! I have often wondered the same thing. There are the obvious answers about having a way to measure time and calendars. Then there is the 'any excuse for a party' reason but I think there is something deeper about mankind that requires us to celebrate a new year.
My best answer is because it is human nature to look forward. In doing so, it is easier to have a new beginning or rather an ending to something in the past. It allows us to break from the past if you will so we can look forward to the new and better. It is human nature and a deep need we have to want to look forward to something better.
Think about it, how many new years resolutions have you or people you know started and only gotten to the middle of January before the whole thing blew up and came to a crashing halt. It is not for lack of wanting that you did that. I believe human nature is to want to be forward looking and to have something to strive for in our future. A new year gives us an excuse to try and do something about that and create that new future. It gives us a sense of renewal and rebirth if you will.
Also a good reason to party! - In my younger days, we would celebrate all 5 timezones in the US. By the time we got to Hawaii, we were pretty wrecked. I'm not much of a party person anymore but I do have some fond memories of some new years parties. There was the one with my new wife and daughter where we all went out as a family on new years to eat drink and dance. There of course was the 5 time zone affairs and the champagne and cigar parties. All good times.
So those are my 2 best guesses, new beginnings and just a good excuse to party!