When does the decade end?

[blythburgh]

I keep hearing the words "end of the decade" on the radio and tv.

This is 2019 and when we switched to AD from BC we started in year 1. So the decade does not end until 2020

Or we could choose any year to be year one and 10 years on it would be the end of the decade. We could then celebrate a new decade more than once every 10 years

[pabenny]

This is 2019 and when we switched to AD from BC we started in year 1. So the decade does not end until 2020.

Absolutely right for those who were around at that time*. The rest of us just stick with calling it the end of the decade when the third digit in the year changes.

(* although the world wasn't using the Gregorian calendar at that point. Apparently most theologians date Jesus' birth a little earlier than 0 AD)

[BeautifulSunshine]

More importantly, let's hope the new decade brings good fortune to us all...

[blythburgh]

More importantly, let's hope the new decade brings good fortune to us all...

In my opinion the new year does but Brexit fallout, the weather affecting crops, global warming, trade wars/trade deals. All of this and lots more could make it a bad year. But I am sure there will be good bits to look forward to. Like a new picture of the royal babies

[Chadwick]

I think it depends on whether you define a decade as:
a) a period of 10 years counted from the year 1; or
b) a period of 10 years defined by when the 'tens' number on the year changes.

Personally, I'm in the latter camp.
Or if you prefer, the first decade got a bit mixed up and they either counted year 1BC as part of it, or they just had a decade with 9 years and hoped no one would notice or care, or (and I think this is the most likely), by the time we started defining decades, the change-of-the-digit concept was so ingrained that it was pointless trying to argue differently, and no one really cared so long as they got to party.

[kevinchess1]

When I did RE, ages and ages ago, it had been agreed by theologians that JC birth year was probably 5BC based on records concerning King Herod and the stars aligning to form the 'Bright star in the East;
It was in the 3rd century that the Romans decided on 25th December, based on it being 9 months exactly after the Spring Equinox, 25 March.
For a while the Romans had a 300 day year and then there's the Georgian calendar to consider as well
Truth is no one knows but this date has stuck and won't change

[blythburgh]

I think the year Jesus was born is a bit of a red herring. It was decided that it was Anno Domini would start with year 1 and that is what we have been doing ever since. Given the furore over the change to the Gregorian Calendar (give us back our days etc) can you imagine if they had changed the number of the year. Of course if they did it today I would be younger and some would have to give up their pension and go back to work. Oh what fun it would be if we change the year to reflect the year we now thing Jesus was born. lol

[jaytee]

When a baby is born they are aged 0, celebrating their 1st birrthday a year later. So if the calendar is assumed to relate to when it was originally thought Christ was born then he was born in year 0, with year 1AD (one year after Christ's birth), being his 1st birthday. Thus, meaning a decade runs from the first day in year 0 to the last day in year 9, and every subsequent decade staring on the first day in a year ending in 0 and ending ot the last day in a year ending in a 9.

Therefore, the decade ended yesterday on 31 December 2019. And a new decade starts today - 01 January 2020. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

[BeautifulSunshine]

When a baby is born they are aged 0, celebrating their 1st birrthday a year later. So if the calendar is assumed to relate to when it was originally thought Christ was born then he was born in year 0, with year 1AD (one year after Christ's birth), being his 1st birthday. Thus, meaning a decade runs from the first day in year 0 to the last day in year 9, and every subsequent decade staring on the first day in a year ending in 0 and ending ot the last day in a year ending in a 9.

Therefore, the decade ended yesterday on 31 December 2019. And a new decade starts today - 01 January 2020. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

In that case Happy New Year.

[blythburgh]

When a baby is born they are aged 0, celebrating their 1st birrthday a year later. So if the calendar is assumed to relate to when it was originally thought Christ was born then he was born in year 0, with year 1AD (one year after Christ's birth), being his 1st birthday. Thus, meaning a decade runs from the first day in year 0 to the last day in year 9, and every subsequent decade staring on the first day in a year ending in 0 and ending ot the last day in a year ending in a 9.

Therefore, the decade ended yesterday on 31 December 2019. And a new decade starts today - 01 January 2020. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

It is not when Jesus was born but when we started Anno Domini which was year one so for me, and many others, the decade ends on 31st December 2020. For others it ended on 31st December 2019. The only thing for sure is nothing really changed at midnight last night other than the date.