Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day
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Overview
Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day, observed every January 17th, is a lighthearted counter-holiday that gives people permission to let go of resolutions that never had a real shot. It lands just over two weeks after New Year's Day — right around when research shows most resolutions have already quietly fallen apart — and reframes that moment as something to laugh about instead of feel guilty over.
Origin and story
There's no known founder or official origin for Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day — like many unofficial holidays, it spread informally through calendars and social media rather than being declared by any organization. Its date isn't arbitrary, though: January 17 lines up almost exactly with the point where research shows most resolutions quietly fall apart, which makes the day feel less like an invented gimmick and more like an honest acknowledgment of how resolutions actually go.
A widely cited University of Scranton study on New Year's resolutions found that only about 1 in 10 people who make a resolution keep it for the full year, with roughly 1 in 3 giving up within the first month.
Quick facts
- DateJanuary 17
- TypeCultural / community observance
- Great forFriends, Families, Classrooms, Teams
Ways to celebrate
- Look back at your resolution and decide honestly whether it was ever realistic — swap it for one smaller, concrete habit instead of scrapping self-improvement altogether.
- Tell a friend which resolution you're officially letting go of; saying it out loud tends to kill the guilt faster than quietly ignoring it.
- Do the thing you "banned" under the old resolution — the dessert, the lazy Saturday, the skipped workout — without turning it into a new source of guilt.
- Reframe an all-or-nothing goal into something that survives a busy week, like trading "work out every day" for "move three times a week."
- Post about the resolution you're ditching with #ditch-new-years-resolutions-day — you'll find you're in very good company.
Fun facts
- A University of Scranton study found only about 10% of people who make a New Year's resolution actually keep it for the full year.
- Roughly a quarter of resolution-makers abandon their goal within the first week, and nearly a third quit within two weeks — right around when January 17 falls.
- January 17 isn't tied to any historical event; it was picked because it lines up with when most resolutions have already quietly been abandoned.
Sources and attribution
Primary note: date and background corroborated by Days of the Year, National Today, and Holiday Insights; resolution-failure statistics are drawn from a widely cited University of Scranton study on New Year's resolutions.
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FAQ
- When is Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day?
- It is observed on January 17 each year.
- What is Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day?
- Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day, observed every January 17th, gives people permission to drop resolutions that never had a real shot — right around when studies show most resolutions have already quietly fallen apart.
- How do people celebrate Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day?
- Look back at your resolution and swap it for one smaller, concrete habit instead of scrapping self-improvement altogether — or just do the thing you "banned" yourself from, guilt-free.
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