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Letters from
Santa
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New Year 2026 begins on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at midnight. Use our live countdown timer above to see the exact number of days, hours, minutes, and seconds remaining until the clock strikes twelve.
New Year's Day 2026 falls on Thursday, January 1st. This means many people will enjoy a nice long weekend to recover from New Year's Eve celebrations.
Our countdown timer uses your local time zone. It automatically detects your location and counts down to midnight in your area, so you'll see exactly when your local New Year begins.
The New Year begins first in the Pacific island nations of Kiribati, Samoa, and Tonga, which are among the first places to see the new day. New Zealand and Australia follow shortly after.
Popular traditions include watching the ball drop in Times Square, singing 'Auld Lang Syne' at midnight, making resolutions, watching fireworks, and sharing a kiss at midnight with loved ones.
January 1st became the start of the new year when Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar in 45 BCE. The month of January is named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions.
Our New Year countdown timer helps you track exactly how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds remain until the clock strikes midnight on January 1st. Whether you're planning your New Year's Eve celebration or simply excited for a fresh start, our real-time countdown keeps you updated every second.
The countdown updates automatically and works for any year. Once New Year 2026 arrives, the timer will automatically begin counting down to New Year 2027, so you can always look forward to new beginnings.
Fun fact: The tradition of celebrating the New Year dates back over 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. Today, people around the world ring in the new year with fireworks, parties, and hopes for the year ahead!