In countries which use the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is usually celebrated on 1 January. The order of months in the Roman calendar has been January to December since King Numa Pompilius in about 700 BC, according to Plutarch and Macrobius. However, Roman writers identified years by naming the year's consuls, who did not enter office on 1 January until 153 BC. Since then 1 January has been the first day of the year, except during the Middle Ages when several other days were the first (1 March, 25 March, Easter, 1 September, 25 December). With the expansion of Western culture to the rest of the world during the twentieth century, the 1 January date became global, even in countries with their own New Year celebrations on other days (e.g., China and India). At present, the celebration of the New Year is a major event worldwide. Many large-scale events are held in major cities around the world, with many large fireworks events on New Year's Eve (31 December). Sydney launched over 80,000 fireworks at midnight, and had more than one and a half million attendees; it was also the most-watched event on television worldwide last year. In Valparaiso upwards of two million visitors witnessed the largest fireworks display in a natural setting; a total of more than 21 kilometers of fireworks on the bay, from the commercial port city of Valparaiso to Concon, Chile, all in 25 minutes of entertainment. London's New Year celebrations centre around the London Eye, with an impressive fireworks display while Big Ben strikes midnight. In New York, the celebration is focused around a large crystal ball that descends in a one minute countdown in Times Square. Edinburgh plays host to one of the world's largest Hogmanay events. The celebrations last for four days and attract visitors from around the globe to take part in street parties and attend concerts. In the culture of Latin America there are a variety of traditions and superstitions surrounding these dates as omens for the coming year. January remains a symbol of the New Year's celebration. According to the Christian tradition, 1 January coincides with the circumcision of Christ (eight days after birth), when the name of Jesus was given to him (Luke 2: 21).

In countries which use the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is usually celebrated on 1 January. The order of months in the Roman calendar has been January to December since King Numa Pompilius in about 700 BC, according to Plutarch and Macrobius. However, Roman writers identified years by naming the year's consuls, who did not enter office on 1 January until 153 BC. Since then 1 January has been the first day of the year, except during the Middle Ages when several other days were the first (1 March, 25 March, Easter, 1 September, 25 December). With the expansion of Western culture to the rest of the world during the twentieth century, the 1 January date became global, even in countries with their own New Year celebrations on other days (e.g., China and India). At present, the celebration of the New Year is a major event worldwide. Many large-scale events are held in major cities around the world, with many large fireworks events on New Year's Eve (31 December). Sydney launched over 80,000 fireworks at midnight, and had more than one and a half million attendees; it was also the most-watched event on television worldwide last year. In Valparaiso upwards of two million visitors witnessed the largest fireworks display in a natural setting; a total of more than 21 kilometers of fireworks on the bay, from the commercial port city of Valparaiso to Concon, Chile, all in 25 minutes of entertainment. London's New Year celebrations centre around the London Eye, with an impressive fireworks display while Big Ben strikes midnight. In New York, the celebration is focused around a large crystal ball that descends in a one minute countdown in Times Square. Edinburgh plays host to one of the world's largest Hogmanay events. The celebrations last for four days and attract visitors from around the globe to take part in street parties and attend concerts. In the culture of Latin America there are a variety of traditions and superstitions surrounding these dates as omens for the coming year. January remains a symbol of the New Year's celebration. According to the Christian tradition, 1 January coincides with the circumcision of Christ (eight days after birth), when the name of Jesus was given to him (Luke 2: 21).

International Women's Day (IWD) is marked on March 8 every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. Started as a political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries (primarily Russia and the countries of former Soviet bloc). In some celebrations, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love to the women around them in a way somewhat similar to Mother's Day and St Valentine's Day mixed together. In others, however, the political and human rights theme as designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.

Nauryz (Nauryz Meyrami) - non-religious Kazakh folk celebration of the vernal (spring) equinox and of the symbolic renewal of nature. It is believed that it originates from ancient Mesopotamia. In Babylon the New Year was celebrated on the 21st day of the month of Nissanu (corresponding to March-April) with festivities held further 12 days, each commemorated with individual rites, amusements and performances. The present day name of Nauriz derives from the Persian Novruz translated as a new day. In Kazakhstan Nauriz is certain to have been celebrated in pre-Islamic times and later. During the Soviet period, it was declared ideologically inconsistent and was “hushed–up”. Nauriz has a remarkable endurance and survival capacity through a long and dramatic history of Kazakhstan and was formally reinstated as a public holiday in Kazakhstan in 1988. During the course of history Nauriz became a symbolic Kazakh New Year in Kazakhstan, official calendar being kept as everywhere in the world. Nowadays it is one of the most favourite holidays in Kazakhstan. Kazakhs also often refer to Nauriz as “Ulystin uly kuni” which means “the great day of the nation”. Nauriz remains also a strong tradition in the countries of Central Asia as well as in Afghanistan, Iran and Azerbaijan. At its core, the Nauriz festival celebrates the awakening of Nature. This awakening symbolizes the triumph of good, the Spring, winning against the evil forces of darkness that are represented by the Winter. Nauriz is the point when the oppressive presence of the cold Winter finally begins to retrieve with the commencement of the lively and hopeful Spring. This symbolic and poetic change corresponds to the mathematical instance of the sun leaving the zodiac of Pisces and entering the zodiacal sign of Aries, also known as the Spring Equinox. The central theme of Nauriz is renewal, cleansing, the coming of spring, and the birth of new life. Love and beauty run through the many literary works and scientific works of the geniuses of the Eastern Middle Ages: Mahmud Kashgari, Al-Biruni, Firdawsi, Alisher Navoi, and Omar Khayyám. Many verses have been devoted to this magnificent holiday in the works of the outstanding Kazakh intellectuals, such as Abay Qunanbayuli, Alihan Bukeihanov, Akhmet Baitursynov, Mirjaqip Dulatuli, Saken Seifulin and others. Nauriz has many unique features. In the past Nauriz used to last from three to nine days. Various kinds of competitions were included in the festival program, such as horse races and hand-to-hand combats between stalwart fellows. The “Aytis” (a contest of two or more improvising folk poet-musicians) is a joyful competition of wit and poetic skill. And of course there were many songs, dances and games. One of the bright traditions that we meet in Abai’s manuscript is the “Nauriz-bata” or Nauriz blessing. To receive a blessing on this day from the lips of aqsaqals (elderly) and aje (women of old age) is considered a big honour and sign of kindness. During the Nauriz holiday it is customary to share generously one’s dastarkhan (table). A special dish – Nauriz közhe (yogurt soup) – is prepared for the festival table. In each yurt (nomadic tent house) everyone would have their own recipe. The only rule for making it was the number of ingredients: seven. The guests are served the best meat dishes qazy, qarta, shujiq (lamb and horse meat delicacies), etc. Since Nauriz’s central theme is renewal and joy hence is the tradition on the eve of Nauriz to thoroughly clean you house, return all your debts, forgive all offences and resentments and to make peace with all with whom you were at odds. It is believed that Nauriz night brings luck and realisation of wishes. Therefore one has to greet it with clear soul and mind and to fill all the vessels at home with milk, grain or spring water so that prosperity never leaves one’s household. But Nauriz is not only about festivities and dastarkhan. During the month you have to help the land to clear its life-giving arteries – to clean natural and artificial water channels and chutes, water wells and springs sprinkling them with hallowed milk thus wishing fertility to Mother – land; cultivation, planting and other agricultural work are to be started. In the last years Nauriz was reborn. Nauriz celebrations start on 21 March and last for one month. Many sports and cultural events are held during this month throughout the country. It became a loved holiday of each citizen of Kazakhstan, symbol of unity and peace.