"When Roman law was revived in the Middle Ages, in some places, January 1st was selected to signal the beginning of the New Year, but it wasn't standard. In fact, many New Year's celebrations were held on March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation, a religious holiday that celebrated the coming of the Angel Gabriel to Mary with news that she would bear God's son. The streets would be filled with processions, and people would make offerings to Mary."
"A traveller setting out from Venice on March 1, 1245, the first day of the Venetian year; finding himself in 1244 when he reached Florence; and after a short stay going on to Pisa, where he would enter the year 1246. Continuing westward, he would return to 1245 when he entered Provence, and upon arriving in France before Easter (April 16) he would be once more in 1244. This poor person appears to be more of a "time traveller" after all that confusion."
Medieval communities marked the New Year on different dates according to regional law, custom, and religious observance. January 1 corresponded to the Roman civil year and was adopted in some places when Roman law returned. March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, served as New Year in many areas and featured processions and offerings to Mary. Other starts included March 1 in Venice, Christmas or Easter elsewhere, and December 25 in early medieval England before later switches. Public festivals such as the Feast of Fools involved mock ecclesiastical courts, role reversals, and popular revelry.
Read at Medievalists.net
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