When Is New Year’s Capitalized?

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Most of us know that the names of holidays are capitalized, but there are some holiday names that are capitalized only some of the time. How do you know when to capitalize and when to use lowercase?
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With holidays like Christmas, it’s not a problem, but New Year’s Day is a whole other problem. Part of the problem is that we often shorten it to New Year’s and also refer to the coming year as the new year.
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When to Capitalize

The simple rule is to capitalize when you’re referring to the holiday itself.

New Year’s Day. New Year’s party. New Year’s resolutions.
What are your plans for New Year’s? (for the holiday)

And you would use lowercase when referring to the coming year in general.

​What are your plans for the new year? (for the coming year)
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Where Else This Applies

You would follow the same rules for other holidays.
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What did you get Mom for Mother’s Day this year?
How did your mother’s day go? (referring to any day that your mother had)
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Did you buy the fireworks yet for the Fourth of July celebration?
Your order should arrive on either the third or fourth of July.

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I hope this helps. And I wish you and all your loved ones a great holiday season and everything good and wonderful in the coming year!

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​Rebecca Miller is a professional copyeditor and general fan of all things having to do with the written word and the English language.
You can check out her website at Oakdale Editing or connect through Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Email.