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Does a new decade start in 2021?

Does 2021 mark the beginning of a new decade, or are we already living it in the twenties?
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Countdown to midnight. Clock of holiday counting last moments before Christmas or New Year 2021.

When we ring in the new year and welcome 2021, should we also be celebrating a new decade? 

Believe it or not, this will be debated amongst many people reading this right now.

In a survey conducted last year by YouGov.com, 64 percent of Americans said the next decade began on Jan. 1, 2020. But ,19 percent said they weren't sure while 17 percent said the next decade won't start until Jan. 1, 2021.

So, which is it?

According to time and date experts, such as the Farmers' Almanac, decades begin with the year ending in the number 1 and finish with a 0. 

So this decade started with the year ending with 1 (2011) and will finish with a 0 (2020). 

For example, Jan. 1, 2001, opened the 21st century and the start of the new millennium, just as the year 1 A.D. marked the beginning of the Christian era. 

If that seems illogical to you, don't feel like you're alone. It makes sense to celebrate a decade when we flip from 9 to 0 on the calendar.  

But think about it this way: Count to 10. Where did you start and finish? 

Plus, doesn’t it feel good to close 2020 by putting it in the past decade? In just a few weeks, it will be just that. A new decade will begin on Jan. 1, 2021.

RELATED: When does the new decade begin? It depends.

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