January 1st was not always the first day of the year

January 1st was not always the first day of the year. January was not the first month of the year. Mars is originally the first month of the old Roman calendar. It is 46 BC. AD the Roman emperor Julius Caesar decided that January 1 would be the New Year's Day.The name of the month in January just Janus, the god of doors and openings. Janus has two faces, one facing forward (the future), the other backward (the past). Later and during the reign of Emperor of the West Charles I, called the Great or Charlemagne, the year began at Christmas, December 25th. Time of the Capetian kings, the year began on Easter Sunday. It is only since 1622 that the new year is again set at 1 January. An action taken by the Pope who serves primarily to simplify the calendar of religious holidays.