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10 Forgotten Festivals: Celebrations That Defined Eras, Now Lost to Time

Trista June 28, 2025 6 min

9. Kalends of January – Ancient New Year’s Merriment

a27d24 ea91afb4e52140d098f4f6d04bfc5d12~mv2 — The popular tradition of animal mumming in a medieval manuscript (from the “Roman d’Alexandre.” MS Bodley 264, fol.21v. Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford). Source: Wikipedia

The Kalends of January ushered in the Roman New Year with joyful singing, festive visits, and the giving of gifts. Religious ceremonies and rituals of augury played a central role, as Romans sought good fortune and prosperity for the year ahead. Though echoes of its merriment linger, most of its customs were gradually absorbed into Christian celebrations and faded from memory. To learn more about this ancient festival, visit Oxford Reference.

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9. Kalends of January – Ancient New Year’s Merriment

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