Cur why we feel happiness on Old New Year: the neuroscience of the doubled celebration

The phenomenon of Old New Year (celebrated on the night of January 13 to 14) represents a unique cultural and psychological case. This holiday, born from a historical calendar shift, has no astronomical or religious foundations, yet it has firmly rooted in the traditions of several countries, primarily the post-Soviet space. The feeling of happiness and a special atmosphere that many experience on this day is not accidental — it has clear neurobiological, psychological, and sociocultural justifications.

1. Neuroscientific basis: a "free" celebration and a dopamine bonus.

From the perspective of neuroscience, Old New Year is a classic example of a "holiday without obligations" that activates the brain's reward system (the dopamine system) with minimal costs.

Reduction of stress and expectations: The main New Year (December 31) is associated with a high level of social stress. There are grand expectations: an "ideal" celebration, expensive gifts, family harmony, grand plans for the future. This creates cognitive load and often leads to post-holiday dysphoria ("the effect of disappointed expectations"). Old New Year is devoid of this pressure. It is perceived as a "bonus", non-mandatory celebration. The absence of obligations reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone), and the ease of the event stimulates the release of dopamine — a neurotransmitter associated with anticipation of reward and pleasure.

Effect of prolongation: The festive state associated with vacation, non-working mood, abundance of treats is prolonged. The brain receives an additional dose of positive stimuli (delicious food, social interaction, rituals) without the need to "restart" in work mode. This maintains a high emotional tone.

2. Psychological mechanisms: nostalgia, closure, and intimacy.

Nostalgia as a positive affect: Modern research (K. Sedikides, T. Wildschut) shows that nostalgia is not a painful longing, but mainly a positive, socially oriented emotion that enhances psychological well-being, a sense of connectedness (connection with others), and gives meaning. Old New Year is a powerful nostalgic trigger. It is associated with childhood memories, Soviet past, family traditions that are reproduced in a smaller, chamber format. The very name "old" refers to something good, familiar, tested by time.

Ritual of closure and "a clean sheet": Psychologically, the period between January 1 and 14 feels like "summing up". Old New Year acts as a final point, a symbolic "closing" of the previous cycle. All the mistakes and hustle of the main holiday are already behind, one can calmly, without haste, complete the annual cycle, formulate desires. This creates a sense of control and closure (the "zebra" effect — the effect of a completed gestalt), which reduces anxiety.

Intimacy and authenticity: The absence of formalism makes the celebration more intimate. It is celebrated, as a rule, in the closest circle (family, couple, best friends). This promotes deep, authentic communication, which, according to research in the psychology of happiness (M. Seligman, E. Diener), is one of the key sources of sustainable well-being. Conversations become more trusting, the atmosphere — warmer.

Interesting fact: The tradition of generosity and sowing, associated with the eve of Old New Year (Vasilev evening, January 13) among Eastern Slavs, has a deep psychological undertone. The ritual of caroling with blessings is a form of positive prosocial behavior. By performing it, people not only follow the tradition but also receive direct feedback in the form of gratitude, treats, a sense of their necessity and inclusion in the community. This activates the same neural pathways as altruistic actions associated with the production of serotonin and oxytocin ("the hormone of trust").

3. Sociocultural context: carnival, taboos, and temporal anomaly.

Continuation of the Yule and carnival freedom: Old New Year is in the middle of the Yuletide period (from Christmas to Epiphany), which in traditional culture was considered a time when the boundaries between worlds thin out and social norms weaken (carnival culture according to M. Bakhtin). This is the time of divination, dressing up, games — everything that goes beyond the ordinary. The feeling of "temporal anomaly," when one can allow oneself trivial and mystical things, creates a sense of freedom and lightness.

"Forbidden" holiday in the USSR: Historically, in the Soviet era, when the open celebration of Christmas was undesirable, and New Year became the main secular winter holiday, Old New Year played the role of a "quiet", non-ideologized, almost family secret. This feeling of "one's own," non-parade celebration has been preserved at the level of collective memory and passed down from generation to generation as a value of private, unofficial happiness.

4. Sensory and behavioral markers.

Happiness is also constructed through repetitive pleasant actions:

Specific food: Preparing and eating "generous kutia" (with fast), dumplings "with a surprise" — these are taste anchors that evoke comfort.

Watching favorite movies ("Irony of Fate..."): Joint, ritualized viewing of comedies that have become part of the tradition evokes laughter — a powerful antidepressant that stimulates the production of endorphins.

Informal communication: The absence of the need for a strict dress code, long toasts, and expensive gifts reduces barriers in communication.

Conclusion.

The feeling of happiness on Old New Year is a complex psychophysiological and cultural construct. Its roots lie in:

Neurobiology: Activation of the reward system when stress obligations are removed.

Positive psychology: Satisfaction of basic needs in belonging, nostalgia, and closure.

Cultural anthropology: Being in "borderline" carnival time of Yuletide and inheriting an intimate Soviet tradition.

This is a festival of anti-glam and pro-authenticity. It gives not an explosive, but warm, cozy, prolonged happiness, based not on external attributes, but on a sense of connection, security, and continuity of good traditions. This happiness is a second wind, happiness without accountability — that's why it is perceived as especially pure and sincere. Old New Year, thus, is a unique cultural invention that has not simply survived due to calendar confusion, but because it effectively satisfies fundamental psychological needs of a person at the point of the annual cycle.

Permanent link to this publication: