What New Year's Eve tradition involves making a list of promises for the coming year?

Making a list of promises for the coming year is the tradition of New Year’s resolutions.

A New Year’s resolution is a commitment to change a behavior, pursue a goal, or adopt a habit during the year ahead. Common examples include exercising more, saving money, learning a skill, or reducing an unhealthy habit. People may write resolutions privately, share them with friends, or track them over time.

The practice has ancient precedents. The Babylonians made promises at the start of their new year, while ancient Romans associated January with Janus, the god of beginnings and doorways. Modern resolutions developed through later religious and secular customs, eventually becoming a widespread annual self-improvement practice.

A resolution is a personal commitment, not a legally binding promise. Research on resolutions often examines motivation, habit formation, and why many goals fade during the year. The phrase is plural when referring to a list, although a single goal can also be called a New Year’s resolution.