New Year

**New Year** (新年, *Shin'nen*?, alt. 正月, *Shōgatsu*) is an annual event, marking the beginning of a new calendar year. Commonly observed on January 1st (**New Year's Day** (元日, *Ganjitsu*?, alt. 元旦, *Gantan*), colloquially referred to as **New Year's**, preceded by **New Year's Eve** (年越し, *Toshikoshi*?, alt. 大晦日, *Ōmisoka*)), it is often celebrated around the world.

## Principles

On the Gregorian calendar, New Year is observed on January 1st. Celebrations surrounding the event primarily occur on New Year's Day (January 1st) or the preceding New Year's Eve (December 31st), though the holiday extends somewhat to the days close to them.

Around the world, the transition between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day is often accompanied by a countdown, as well as fireworks celebrating the start of the new year.

While New Year's is commonly celebrated around the world and there are shared customs, various countries have their own traditions and customs surrounding festivities. For example, in Japan (and Academy City), many make a shrine visit on New Year's Day. Other things associated with the Japanese New Year include watching the sunrise, furisodes, drinking amazake, hanetsuki, calligraphy, mochi pounding, kite flying and karuta, among other things. Aside from greeting cards, there are also gifts of **New Year's money** (お年玉, *Otoshidama*?) to children from relatives and close acquaintances. Traditional New Year's television include jidaigeki marathons and comedy specials.

## Chronology

### Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index

#### New Year's Eve Arc

*Main article: New Year's Eve Arc*
On December 31st, believing himself unable to access his accounts (and New Year's money) until January 4th due to the ATM shutdown and short on money, Kamijou Touma decided to look for part-time work, ending up heading outside of Academy City to Shibuya. Around this time, various shops in the area had New Year's bargains and numerous people were gathering for New Year's events, including the countdown and fireworks approaching and at midnight.

#### New Year's Arc

*Main article: New Year's Arc*
On January 1st, many residents of Academy City travelled to School District 12, the high-rise home of the city's religious facilities, to make their New Year's shrine visits. Many of the wishes made during these visits were affected by the Kotatsu Syndrome that was sweeping the city. In the early morning, a supernatural battle drama was airing on the TV (deviating from New Year's TV traditions), produced by Academy City for PR purposes and likely to distract from the truth of the city's former dark side, including fictionalized versions of persons associated with Tokiwadai Middle School.

After returning to Academy City with Aradia in his custody (with Misaka 10032 extracting some New Year's money from him at the gate), Touma went to District 12 for a New Year's shrine visit with his companions, during which other Sisters tried to get their own shares. Returning home afterwards, Touma had received New Year's cards from his parents and cousin. After dinner in the evening, the group partook in non-alcoholic amazake, though Aradia's own condition led her to becoming drunk regardless.

Having stayed in the hospital up to the end of the year and feeling like she wasted the end of her 14th year, Misaka Mikoto was in a rush to cram as much as she could in her New Year's Day.

## External Links

* New Year (Wikipedia article)
* New Year's Eve (Wikipedia article)
* New Year's Day (Wikipedia article)
* Japanese New Year (Wikipedia article)