What New Year's Eve tradition involves making promises for personal improvement in the coming year?

New Year's resolutions are promises people make to pursue personal improvement or change a behavior during the coming year.

The practice has ancient precedents. Ancient Babylonians are often credited with making yearly promises during their new-year festival, while ancient Romans made vows to Janus at the start of the year. These customs are historical antecedents rather than evidence that the modern phrase had exactly the same meaning.

Modern resolutions commonly concern exercise, finances, study, diet or relationships. A resolution is a personal goal or commitment, not a universally required ritual, and many people make them privately rather than as part of a public ceremony.

Resolutions are sometimes confused with New Year's greetings or formal political resolutions. In ordinary New Year's usage, the term means an individual's stated intention for the year ahead.