fbpx

KidsKonnect

Baby New Year Facts & Worksheets

Baby New Year represents the transition from one year to the next that is commonly seen in editorial cartoons.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Seasonal and Holiday /Days /Baby New Year Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Baby New Year Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Baby New Year represents the transition from one year to the next that is commonly seen in editorial cartoons. In short, it is a “rebirth” which symbolizes the birth of the next year and the passing of the previous one.

See the fact file below for more information on the Baby New Year or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Baby New Year worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ORIGIN

  • Baby New Year started way back in 600 BC, depicted by the Ancient Greeks who used a baby as a symbol of one year.
  • The Greeks paraded a baby in a basket as a ceremony for the feast of Dionysus, the god of wine, and general revelry.
  • This symbolized the annual rebirth of the god as a spirit of fertility.
  • Egyptians had the same ceremony, using a baby as a symbol of the new year.
  • It was portrayed on the lid of a sarcophagus which is now in the British Museum.

EARLY CATHOLIC CHURCHES

  • The use of a baby during New Year was common in Greek, Egyptian, and Roman times, but the early Roman Catholic religion condemned this, considering it a pagan tradition.
  • Later, due to resistance, the Catholic Church finally allowed its members to use the same traditions. However, the celebrators acknowledged the baby in the ceremony as an effigy of Jesus Christ rather than the pagan symbol.

FATHER TIME AND BABY NEW YEAR

  • Father Time and Baby New Year symbolize the end of one year and the beginning of the next.
  • In mythology, he is a baby at the beginning of his year but quickly gets old at the end, like Father Time.
  • Father Time is depicted as an old man with a long gray beard and is rooted in Chronos, the Greek god of Time, and in the Holly King of Celtic tradition.
  • The two are portrayed in ancient stories as an old man, usually bearded, wearing robes and with a wise expression. He usually carries a timepiece of some sort, reinforcing the idea that time is passing (and passing him by).
  • At this point, Father Time hands over his responsibilities to the next Baby New Year.
  • Baby New Year has its roots in the Greek god Dionysus, who was commonly symbolized as the baby born at the end of our modern calendar year.

REPRESENTATIONS

  • The most common modern representation of Baby New Year is a baby boy wearing a diaper with a New Year’s banner across his chest.
  • Baby New Year is a baby boy who can barely walk or crawl but can stand alone.
  • It was brought by Germany to America in the 14th century.
  • He is sometimes depicted holding or associated with an hourglass, a noisemaker, or other items pertaining either to time or New Year festivities.
  • The New Year’s Baby was popularized by a series of covers by Joseph Christian Leyendecker for The Saturday Evening Post, created from 1907 to 1943.

BABY NEWBORN TITLE

  • Many cities and hospitals have created a tradition where the first baby born that year represents the official Baby New Year.
  • The baby can be male or female, unlike in the mythology in which it is depicted as a baby boy only.

Baby New Year Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Baby New Year Plan across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Baby New Year worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Baby New Year which represents the transition from one year to the next that is commonly seen in editorial cartoons. In short, it is a “rebirth” which symbolizes the birth of the next year and the passing of the previous one.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Baby New Year Facts
  • What Is a Baby?
  • Circle Me, Highlight That
  • Common Representation
  • Mythology vs. Ceremony
  • Ceremonial Comparison
  • The Two Images
  • New Year Baby
  • What is This?
  • Me as Father Time
  • Baby New Year’s Resolution

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Baby New Year Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 1, 2024

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources