How long has New Year's Eve been celebrated?

The end of one year and the beginning of the next has been celebrated since ancient times, though obviously not always on this date. It’s believed that Dutch settlers brought the December 31 celebration to America, but the Native Americans had already paved the way. Long before the settlers arrived, the Iroquois marked the end of the old year and the start of the new one by gathering up clothes, furnishings, and household utensils, along with uneaten corn and other grains, and tossing them onto a great bonfire. One can’t get much more expressive than that.