Some experts say no. As 2019 draws to a close, debate is heating up about whether 2020 marks the beginning of a new decade, or if we have to wait until 2021. Marking the beginning of a decade in a year ending in one is out of step with how we think and talk about time, he said. People who say we should wait a year to celebrate the new decade have a point, but it's not a very good one, according to Callender. People who say we should wait a year to celebrate the new decade have a point, but it’s not a very good one, according to Callender. Oh my gosh, OMG, and all the emojis that go with that statement. Posted Jan 01, 2020 . Confetti falls at midnight on the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, in New … The case for beginning the decade in 2020. Is 2020 really the start of a new decade? The case for beginning the decade in 2020.