Two thousand years ago the great Roman poet Ovid posed the very sensible question below.

Here is part of his eloquent argument (version by A.S. Kline). The Latin text may be familiar to older readers. It starts: "Dic, age, frigoribus quare novus incipit annus, qui melius per ver incipiendus erat?"

SHOULDN'T THE NEW YEAR START IN SPRING?

Tell me why the new-year begins with cold,

When it would be better started in the spring?

Then all's in flower, then time renews its youth,

And the new buds swell on the fertile vines:

The trees are covered in newly formed leaves,

And grass springs from the surface of the soil:

Birds delight the warm air with their melodies,

And the herds frisk and gambol in the fields.

Then the sun's sweet, and brings the swallow, unseen,

To build her clay nest under the highest roof beam.

Then the land's cultivated, renewed by the plough.

That time rightly should have been called New Year.