So, Merry Christmas!
The summit of the year is the day of winter solstice, which was December 22, this year.
So, it is a little strange that January 1 was not set around December 22.
But culturally, the summit of the year in the Christian world is December 25, the Christmas day. China has its own summit of the year around the Chinese New Year Day, which is February 19, 2015.
As for Japan, it seems to be December 31. In the night of the last day of the year, people go to shrines or Buddhist temples nearby or far. If they could stay in the crowded precincts of a shrine or temple, notable or nameless, from 23:59 of December 31 to 00:01 of January 1, which is usually called the "two-year's respect shown to the shrine (ninen mairi)," they could feel as if they had accomplished something so great and pious.
So, in Japan, Christmas is a kind of wake-up call. People think that the summit of the year is getting closer when Christmas is over.
So, Merry Christmas!
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Act 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.