New Year’s Eve is December 31, the day before New Year’s Day (January 1).

The term New Year commonly refers to the first day or the first few days of a new year starting on January 1, but it’s also used in the context of the beginnings of years that are based on other calendars, such as a Lunar New Year. For example, the Chinese New Year and the Jewish New Year are both based on lunar calendars. Still, the term New Year’s Eve typically refers to December 31.

The term New Year’s can refer to either New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. If someone asks you what you’re doing for New Year’s, they probably want to know what you’re doing on New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve is traditionally a time for parties and counting down to the New Year, though people celebrate in many different ways.

In the U.S., New Year’s Eve is part of what’s known as the holiday season (sometimes called the holidays)—the period that starts on Thanksgiving and continues until New Year’s Day and includes the holidays of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.

Example: I like to have a low-key New Year’s Eve—I just stay in and cook a nice meal and usually fall asleep before midnight.