Stop Saying a New Decade Begins on Jan 1 – It Doesn’t

Please don't embarrass yourself this New Year's Eve.

January 1, 2020 is not the beginning of a new decade. But that hasn't stopped people from incorrectly proclaiming New Year's Eve as the end of the 2010s. It's hard to blame anyone that wants the decade to be over. It's provided nothing but misery. From divisive politics to man-buns to that Baby Shark song, the 10s have been just terrible.

But, sadly, we're going to have to wait until next year to start fresh by celebrating the beginning of the 2020s.

According to the Farmer's Almanac, the new decade begins on January 1, 2021. The reason for this is pretty clear. If you think back to the year 1AD, the new calendar didn't kick off at year zero; it was actually year one. Ten years after that was the year 11, not 10. So clearly, all decades after that would start on the one and not the zero.

If you're one of these people that insists the decade starts on the zero, then you'll also have to concede your age is not correct. By your reasoning, you didn't turn one a year after you were born. If you believe the decade starts at zero, then you also must believe you were a one-year-old the minute you were alive. That means you're actually a whole year older than what it says on your driver's license.

So let's save everyone the hassle of moving up their retirement plans and just agree to celebrate the beginning of the new decade the proper way; on January 1, 2021.