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Writer's pictureSteve Gamel

Edit This Grammar Lesson: Is It New Year's or New Years?


We are a few days away from the calendar shifting to 2023. Everyone's excitement has reached a fever pitch, which means I will undoubtedly be asked this age-old question before the celebrations get underway: "Should we write it as New Year's or New Years?"


The quick answer is ... New Year's (with the apostrophe).


Please, for the love of all things holy, do not write "New Years."

Why is it New Year's?


It really comes down to one thing – using an apostrophe shows possession.


Possession is important when writing about New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, a New Year's resolution, a New Year's greeting, etc.


In all instances, you're referring to something that belongs to the holiday.


Here are a few examples:


* Our New Year's Eve party will be the best!

* What's your New Year's resolution?

* New Year's Day is my favorite day of the year.


Another noteworthy rule for 2023 and beyond


Capitalize "New Year" in a sentence when referring to the holiday, which is a proper noun. If you're writing about a general timeframe, lowercase "new year."


Here are a few examples:


* Let's meet for lunch sometime in the new year.

* Happy New Year, everyone!


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Thanks for reading!


STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This®, a writing and editing services company in Denton, TX. He is also the author of Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.


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