Old New Year's Day
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Old New Year's Day on March 25 traces back to the medieval English and European practice of celebrating the New Year on the Feast of the Annunciation, also known as Lady Day. In the Julian calendar system widely used in Europe during the Middle Ages, March 25 marked exactly nine months before Christmas and was considered the date of the Angel Gabriel's announcement to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive Jesus. In England, Lady Day served as the official start of the civil and legal new year from the 12th century until 1752, when the British Empire adopted the Gregorian calendar and moved New Year's Day to January 1. Unlike other 'Old New Year' observances linked to the Julian calendar date discrepancy, the March 25 tradition stems from a distinct historical calendar system where the year began on the Annunciation. The day remains significant in Christian liturgy and is still the start of the liturgical year in some traditions. It represents a fascinating chapter in the history of timekeeping and calendar reform.
History
During the medieval period, different European countries began the new year on different dates, including Christmas Day (December 25), the Annunciation (March 25), and Easter. In England, the practice of starting the new year on March 25, known as the Annunciation Style or Lady Day Style, was established through common law usage by the 12th century. The British Calendar Act of 1750, effective in 1752, reformed the English calendar by adopting the Gregorian system and moving the start of the legal year to January 1. The act also removed 11 days from September 1752 to realign the calendar with the solar year. Scotland had already adopted January 1 as New Year's Day in 1600. The March 25 New Year tradition persisted in some civil contexts for years after the reform. In financial and legal circles, the tax year in the United Kingdom still begins on April 6, which corresponds to March 25 plus the 11 days lost in the 1752 reform plus an additional adjustment day.
How It's Celebrated
Old New Year's Day on March 25 is primarily observed as a historical commemoration rather than an active celebration. Historians, calendar enthusiasts, and medieval reenactment groups recognize the day with educational events, lectures, and discussions about calendar history. Some Christian communities observe the Feast of the Annunciation on this date with special church services, regardless of its new year associations. In the United Kingdom, the connection between Lady Day and the tax year is occasionally noted in financial contexts. The day is also referenced in discussions of historical documents, where dates from before 1752 may list the year as beginning in March, requiring careful interpretation by modern readers.