Happy New Year! January 1st is officially known as National Hangover Day as well as Z Day.
It’s the first day of 2024 and we couldn’t be happier to welcome the new year!
Find out the facts about January 1 with these historical events & fun facts, including what celebrities were born on this day, and how this day has had an important role in history.
Did you know that on this day in 1502, Portuguese navigators discovered Rio de Janeiro? “Rio de Janeiro” means “River of January”.
Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about January 1st in history!
Events
What memorable events happened on January 1 in history? Keep reading to find out!
2011
Estonia joined the Eurozone and adopted the Euro as its currency.
For many people in Estonia, the adoption of the Euro was the final proof that they had finally separated as a nation from the Soviet Union.
1978
A B747 plane by Air India flying from Bombay, India to Dubai, UAE, crashed with no survivors.
The crash site was in the Arabian Sea near Santacruz airport, and onboard there were 190 passengers and 23 crew, all of whom lost their lives. The crash is thought to have been due to a malfunction in the cockpit which left the captain disorientated. This event was one of the deadliest air accidents in India.
404 AD
A monk put an end to gladiator fighting in Rome.
The monks’ name was Saint Telemachus, and in 391, he bravely attempted to halt a fight in Rome that led to him being stoned to death by spectators. Subsequently, this tragedy resulted in The Christian Emperor Honorius imposing a ban on future fights from 404 AD.
Famous Births
Is today your birthday? If so, you share the same birthday with Verne Troyer. Here are a few other famous people born on New Year’s Day.
1995
Poppy
American
Singer
Age:
29 years old
Born In:
Massachusetts, USA
1969
Verne Troyer
American
Actor
Died On:
Apr 21, 2018 (Age 49)
Born In:
Michigan, USA
1976
Tank
American
Singer
Age:
48 years old
Born In:
Wisconsin, USA
1969
Morris Chestnut
American
Actor
Age:
55 years old
Born In:
California, USA
1945
Yuen Woo-ping
Hong Konger
Choreographer
Age:
79 years old
Born In:
Guangzhou, China
1943
Don Novello
American
Actor
Age:
81 years old
Born In:
Ohio, USA
Quotes
Who said what today throughout history? Here are the most famous things people have said on this day.
1972
It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.
Anne Sexton
American Poet
Special Holidays
Here are some unusual holidays that are celebrated on this day.
Z Day
Today is a day for everyone whose name starts with a Z! While this might not seem like much, for every Zac, Zanne, or Zara who’s had to wait until the end of the roll-call, it’s a pretty big deal – their letter finally comes first!
National Hangover Day
Today is a perfect excuse to stay in bed and eat greasy food all day and know that you’re not the only one struggling. National Hangover Day is a day to look after yourself and cure that headache of the New Year’s celebrations.
THe Fact Site’s
Fun Fact Of The Day
Female polar bears are around half the size of male polar bears.
Birthday & Zodiac
Everyone who was born on New Year’s Day shares the same star sign, Capricorn.
Capricorns are ambitious, determined and will consistently apply efforts to any task at hand to get the job done. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, or indeed, how many times they might fail.
Those of you that were born in January have the Garnet birthstone. The garnet is thought to bring love and loyal friendships into their lives while also providing them health.
If you were lucky enough to be born on the first day of the year, you were likely conceived around April 10, the year before.
The due date for a baby conceived on New Year’s Day is around September 24, 2024.
