New Year's Eve
The Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge illuminated under New Year's Eve Fireworks 2005
Official name	{{{official_name}}}
Also called	Hogmanay (Scotland), Silvester (Germany, Israel)
Observed by	people around the world
Type	International
Significance	the final day of the Gregorian year
Begins	{{{begins}}}
Ends	{{{ends}}}
Date	December 31, climaxing at midnight
Gregorian Date (2006)	{{{date2006}}}
Celebrations	Reflections, Late-Night Partying, Fireworks
Observances	{{{observances}}}
Related to	New Year's Day, the following day, and Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Thanksgiving, which form the rest of the North American holiday season

New Year's Eve is December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year, and the day before New Year's Day, ImageMetadata File history File links 010105_fireworks2. ... Hogmanay (pronounced — with the main stress on the last syllable - hog-muh-NAY) is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For information on the movie, New Years Day, see New Years Day (film). ... Christmas is a Christian holiday held on December 25 which celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... A woman lights kinara candles on a table decorated with the symbols of Kwanzaa. ... For the Khazar ruler by this name, see Hanukkah (Khazar). ... For thanksgiving (lowercase t) as a religious or theological idea, see gratitude. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For information on the movie, New Years Day, see New Years Day (film). ...

New Year's Eve is a separate observance from the observance of New Year's Day. In 20th-century Western practice, the celebration involves partying until the moment of the transition of the year at midnight. Drinking champagne is also a major part of the festivities. For information on the movie, New Years Day, see New Years Day (film). ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The Champagne appellation highlighted in red Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle secondary fermentation of wine to effect carbonation. ...

Within many cultures the use of fireworks and other noise making is a major part of the celebration in cities such as Berlin, Edinburgh, Sydney, London, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, and Tokyo. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House illuminated under New Years Eve Fireworks 2005 A fireworks event (also called a fireworks display or fireworks show) is a spectacular display of the effects produced by firework devices on various occasions. ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ; Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic) is Scotlands capital, and its second-largest city. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... London is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom, and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur Tossed by the waves, she does not founder Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Département Paris (75) Région ÃŽle-de-France Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (PS) City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 86. ... Flag Seal Location Location of Rio de Janeiro Coordinates , Government Country Region State Brazil Southeast Rio de Janeiro Mayor Cesar Maia (PFL) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,260 km² Population     City (2005) 5,613,000 [1]     Density   4. ... Tokyo , literally eastern capital) is the capital of Japan and one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. ...

New Year's Eve is a public non-working holiday in the following countries, among others: France, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Venezuela. The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries. ...

Localized celebrations

Australia

With crowds of well over 1.2 million people, Sydney has arguably the second largest New Year celebrations worldwide, after Rio de Janeiro (which attracts over 2 million people on Copacabana Beach; New York and London both average crowds between 800,000 and 1,000,000) benefiting from the harbour city's warm summer weather and spectacular natural amphitheatre. Also because of its proximity to the International Date Line, Sydney is home to the first major celebration to welcome the new year. The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... Flag Seal Location Location of Rio de Janeiro Coordinates , Government Country Region State Brazil Southeast Rio de Janeiro Mayor Cesar Maia (PFL) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,260 km² Population     City (2005) 5,613,000 [1]     Density   4. ... The name amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is given to a public building of the Classical period (being particularly associated with ancient Rome) which was used for spectator sports, games and displays. ... The International Date Line around 180° This article is about the line dividing time zones; see Dateline for other meanings, including the television program. ...

Sydney leads the world in one of the first major New Year celebrations each year.

Over 80,000 fireworks are traditionally set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and four other firing points covering 6 km along Sydney Harbour. The event can be seen from a 16 km radius around Sydney and attracts an average of 300,000 international tourists each year. The Harbour of Lights Parade adds to the attraction as cruise boats covered in fairy lights cruise the centre of the harbour all night. These vessels have the prime position for the evening. Sydney has recently been acknowledged by numerous media sources as having the world's best New Year celebrations, topping the list of cities such as New York City, Edinburgh, Paris, and London. In 2005, the New Year's Eve creators delivered their most spectacular fireworks yet: a gigantic heart with two rings around it, pulsing on the bridge. It had lights built behind it so it seemed to radiate. It was the first NYE to have the bridge effect revealed at the 9pm fireworks. Up to 12am, another ring was added every hour. The Heart of the Harbour was a pyrotechnical feat of amazement. The bridge continued the traditonal "golden waterfall" which usually gushes off the side of the bridge but looked like it was rolling off it. The soundtrack which is made by the Sydney council, makes the fireworks be "moulded" around the music. A brilliant vocal send off was the finale, and after the 12am fireworks, the smallest heart beat feebly, but quickly, as though from a massive high it had witnessed. Already for 2006, the council have set up the NYE website, which now features a ticker of how many seconds are left until 2007. The theme for this year is "A Diamond Night In Emerald City." The theme relating to Sydney, the Emerald City, and the Diamond being the focuspoint. It has been released that the 9pm fireworks will be boosted so the kids (which it is used for) can have more fun. The Sydney Harbour Bridge turns 75 in 2007, which makes NYE 2006 so much more special with A Diamond Night In Emerald City. Image File history File linksMetadata Sydney_New_Year's_Eve_2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Sydney_New_Year's_Eve_2. ... The New Year is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of the next. ... The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the major landmarks of Sydney, connecting the Sydney central business district (CBD) with the North Shore commercial and residential areas, both of which are located on Sydney Harbour. ... Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge located on Port Jackson Port Jackson is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia, also known as Sydney Harbour and is the largest natural harbour in the world. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Big Apple Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,214. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ; Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic) is Scotlands capital, and its second-largest city. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur Tossed by the waves, she does not founder Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Département Paris (75) Région ÃŽle-de-France Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (PS) City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 86. ... London is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom, and is the most populous city in the European Union. ...

• NewYearsEve.com.au
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Harbour of Lights[2]

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong people usually gather in Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront to see the lightworks on the skyscrapers along the harbour and to count down to the New Year at spots like Times Square and Ocean Terminal. The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... Large crowd of shoppers can be seen on Causeway Bay. ... The Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui is a famous landmark of Hong Kong. ... Victoria Harbour The night view of the Victoria Harbour with the skyscrapers in Central behind, viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui Victoria Harbour (Traditional Chinese: 維多利亞港; Simplified Chinese: 维多利亚港; Cantonese Jyutping: wai4 do1 lei6 aa3 gong2; Mandarin Pinyin: Wéiduōlìyà Gǎng) is the harbour between the Kowloon Peninsula and the... A taxi stand on Russell Street outside Times Square on a rainy day. ... Ocean Terminal (海運大廈), built in 1966, is a cruise terminal and shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ...

United States

The 1,070-pound Waterford Crystal ball on New Year's Eve.

In the United States, New Year's Eve is a major social holiday. In the past 100 years the 'ball dropping' on top of One Times Square in New York City, broadcast to all of America, is a major component of the New Year celebration. The 1,070-pound, 6-foot-diameter Waterford crystal ball (on the right) located high above Times Square is lowered, starting at 23:59:00 and reaching the bottom of its tower at the stroke of midnight (00:00:00). It is sometimes referred to as "the big apple" like the city itself; the custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at noon in harbors. From 1982 to 1988, New York City dropped an enlarged apple in recognition of its nickname. Since 1972, Dick Clark has hosted televised coverage of the event called Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve, shown on the ABC network. For about four decades Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians serenaded the United States from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City. The song Auld Lang Syne has become a popular song to sing at midnight on New Year's Eve. Image File history File linksMetadata NYEBigBall_edited. ... Image File history File linksMetadata NYEBigBall_edited. ... The world-famous Waterford Crystal Ball is lowered in Times Square, New York City, on New Years Eve Waterford Crystal is a trademark brand of crystal glassware produced in Waterford, Ireland, by the company Waterford Wedgwood plc. ... The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries. ... Each year on New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square in Manhattan, New York City, a Ball made of crystal and electric lights and that looks like a gleaming moon, descends at 11:59pm from atop the One Times Square building, shaped like a geometric h, to mark the... An up close image of the East face of One Times Square. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... The world-famous Waterford Crystal Ball is lowered in Times Square, New York City, on New Years Eve Waterford Crystal is a trademark brand of crystal glassware produced in Waterford, Ireland, by the company Waterford Wedgwood plc. ... Times Square, named after the one-time headquarters of The New York Times, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, which centers on 42nd Street and Broadway. ... Noon is the time exactly through the day, written 12:00 in the 24-hour clock and 12:00 noon in the 12-hour clock. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Dick Clark redirects here. ... Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve is a television program, which airs every New Years Eve on the United States television network ABC. It has been hosted by Dick Clark since its first airing on December 31, 1972, also titled Three Dog Nights New Years’ Rockin... This article is about the American network, for the Australian network, see Australian Broadcasting Corporation The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is a television and radio network in the United States. ... Guy Lombardo, photographed by William P. Gottlieb, 1947 Gaetano Alberto Guy Lombardo (June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1977) was a Canadian bandleader and violinist. ... Waldorf=Astoria hotel This article is about the hotel. ... Park Avenue in the Upper East Side (2004) Park Avenue (formerly Fourth Avenue) is a wide boulevard that carries traffic north and south in Manhattan in New York City. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... Auld Lang Syne — Eng: “old long since” — might be better translated as “old long ago”, “times gone by”, or “days gone by” is a poem by Robert Burns, and one of the best known songs in English-speaking countries. ...

Local Celebrations

Now, many cities in America have their own local version of the celebration, even while keeping an eye on New York, and the New York-centric aspect of the holiday is diminishing. Many cities, echoing the New York tradition of ball drop, also descend or lower an object (or an enlarged representation of an object), usually one of local significance. There are also examples of things going up. In Seattle the countdown is done by launching fireworks up the side of the Space Needle until it reaches the top at midnight. Each year on New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square in Manhattan, New York City, a Ball made of crystal and electric lights and that looks like a gleaming moon, descends at 11:59pm from atop the One Times Square building, shaped like a geometric h, to mark the... Flag Seal Nickname: The Emerald City Location Location of Seattle in King County and Washington Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Washington King County Incorporated December 2, 1869 Mayor Greg Nickels Geographical characteristics Area     City 369. ...

Further information: List of objects dropped on New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is a major event in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Las Vegas Boulevard is shut down as several hundred thousand people party. In New Orleans, Louisiana, another of the most popular New Year celebration venues in North America, similar crowds of hundreds of thousands gather in the French Quarter, particularly on Bourbon and Canal Streets, to celebrate the New Year. Many cities towns in the United States, in imitation of the famous ball drop conducted annually at midnight on December 31 in Times Square, similarly drop items on New Years Eve as part of local celebrations. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Entertainment Capital of the World Location Location of Las Vegas in Nevada Coordinates , Government County Clark Mayor Oscar B. Goodman Geographical characteristics Area     City 113. ... Las Vegas Boulevard is the current name for a road that has a historic past. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... French Quarter: upper Chartres street looking down towards Jackson Square and the spires of St. ... The French Quarter is the oldest and most famous section of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, stretching along the Mississippi River from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue (14 blocks) and back from the Mississippi to Rampart Street (7 blocks). ...

Injuries and Deaths Caused by Random Gunfire and Unapproved Fireworks Use

In several areas of the U.S., particularly major urban areas, New Year celebrations are punctuated by random celebratory gunfire, causing injuries and deaths.[3][4][5]. Police departments in many areas, aided by gun safety organizations, have attempted to crack down on this practice through technology[6][7] and enhanced penalties[8][9]. An urban area is a term used to define an area where there is an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ... A car of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, England Police forces are government organisations charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order. ...

A New Year's Eve tradition in Hawaii and other areas is the uncondoned use of fireworks by local residents. Local governments have begun to severely limit this practice in recent years for numerous reasons, including its effect on people with breathing problems, thrill-seeking but dangerous twists on fireworks use (e.g. hanging fireworks from power lines), and unintended fires. Legislation approved by the Hawaii State Legislature has implemented a system of permits for fireworks use, yet this system is still frequently circumvented by locals. Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,941 sq mi (28,337 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House illuminated under New Years Eve Fireworks 2005 A fireworks event (also called a fireworks display or fireworks show) is a spectacular display of the effects produced by firework devices on various occasions. ... Bold textJAMES CHECKLEY Legislation (or statutory law) is law which has been promulgated (or enacted) by a legislature or other governing body. ... Hawaii Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano speaks before a special session of the legislature on January 24, 2000. ...

United Kingdom

England celebrates the New Year by either waiting for Big Ben, or another clock to strike midnight while enjoying the party. Usually, the partygoers will countdown the last ten seconds, by shouting out the numbers from "Ten!" and then as simultaneously Big Ben chimes and zero is reached, shout "Happy New Year!" instead of zero. Amusingly, the countdown is sometimes miscalculated and "One!" is repeated until Big Ben chimes. the Bell within the Clock Tower colloquially known as Big Ben Big Ben is the colloquial name of the bell of the Palace of Westminster in London, also known as the Great Bell of Westminster, the largest bell in the tower and part of the Great Clock of Westminster. ...

Then the chimes are normally accompanied by Auld Lang Syne and fireworks. It is also a major celebration in Scotland, where it is known as Hogmanay. The large street parties held in Edinburgh, and George Square of Glasgow are attended by those all over the world, due to the reputation for celebration they have collected. Auld Lang Syne — Eng: “old long since” — might be better translated as “old long ago”, “times gone by”, or “days gone by” is a poem by Robert Burns, and one of the best known songs in English-speaking countries. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78... Hogmanay (pronounced — with the main stress on the last syllable - hog-muh-NAY) is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ...

London's celebrations are the most covered. Since the construction of the London Eye, it has been the centre-point of a huge ten-minute fireworks display each year, illuminated with coloured lasers. At the start of 2005, fireworks were launched from the wheel itself for the first time. London is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom, and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... The London Eye at twilight The British Airways London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, opened in 1999 (Coordinates: , ). It is the largest observation wheel in the world (a type of Ferris wheel). ...

Spain

A young man celebrates a New Year party at a hotel in Tortosa, Spain

Spanish New Year's Eve (Nochevieja, or Fin de Año) celebrations usually begin with a family dinner, traditionally including shrimps and lamb or turkey. The actual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of the Casa de Correos building in Puerta del Sol square in Madrid. It is traditional to eat 12 grapes, one on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays, the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the 12 grapes have become synonymous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine such as cava or champagne, or alternatively with cider. Image File history File linksMetadata NewYearsParty. ... Tortosa (Latin Dertusa) is the capital of the comarca of Baix Ebre, in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, located at 12 metres above the sea, by the Ebre river. ... Superfamilies and families Alpheoidea Alpheidae - snapping shrimps Barbouriidae Hippolytidae Ogyrididae Atyoidea Atyidae Bresilioidea Agostocarididae Alvinocarididae Bresiliidae Disciadidae Mirocarididae Campylonotoidea Bathypalaemonellidae Campylonotoidae Crangonoidea Crangonidae Glyphocrangonidea Galatheacaridoidea Galatheacarididae Nematocarcinoidea Eugonatonotidae Nematocarcinidae Rhynchocinetidae Xiphocarididae Oplophoroidea Oplophoridae Palaemonoidea Anchistioididae Desmocarididae Euryrhynchidae Gnathophyllidae Hymenoceridae Kakaducarididae Palaemonidae Typhlocarididae Pandaloidea Pandalidae Thalassocarididae Pasiphaeoidea Pasiphaeidae Procaridoidea Procarididae Processoidea... It has been suggested that Lambing be merged into this article or section. ... A countdown is the backward counting to indicate the seconds, days, etc. ... An analog wall clock A clock (from the Latin cloca, bell) is an instrument for measuring time and for measuring time intervals of less than a day—as opposed to a calendar. ... Puerta del Sol, from left to right, the House of the Post Office, Calle Mayor and the statue of Charles III The Puerta del Sol (Spanish for Sun Gate) is one of the most well known and busiest places in Madrid. ... Flag Coat of Arms Coordinates: 40° 23’N , 3°69′0″W Time Zone: CET (GMT +1) Administration Administrative Divisions 21 Barrios in Madrid 127 Comunidad Autónoma Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón | PP City Characteristics Land Area 607 km² Population 3,228,359 2005... 12 (twelve) is the natural number following 11 and preceding 13. ... Species Vitis acerifolia Vitis aestivalis Vitis amurensis Vitis arizonica Vitis x bourquina Vitis californica Vitis x champinii Vitis cinerea Vitis x doaniana Vitis girdiana Vitis labrusca Vitis x labruscana Vitis monticola Vitis mustangensis Vitis x novae-angliae Vitis palmata Vitis riparia Vitis rotundifolia Vitis rupestris Vitis shuttleworthii Vitis tiliifolia Vitis... For the musical instrument, see tubular bell. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... fuuuuuuuuuuuuccckkkkkkkkkk u Location of Alicate in Spain Alicante (Castillian Spanish) or Alacant (Valencian Catalan) is the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of the Alacantí, in the southern part of the Valencian community, Spain, a historic Mediterranean port. ... This article is about the honor; for other uses, see Toast (disambiguation). ... A glass of sparkling wine A Sparkling wine cork Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. ... This article is about a type of wine; Cava is also an island in Scotland and a part of human anatomy. ... The Champagne appellation highlighted in red Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle secondary fermentation of wine to effect carbonation. ... A pint of cider. ...

After the family dinner and the grapes, many young people attend New Year parties at pubs, discotheques and similar places (these parties are called cotillones de nochevieja, after the Spanish word cotillón, which refers to party supplies like confetti, party blowers, party hats, etc.). Parties usually last till the next morning and range from small, personal celebrations at local bars to huge parties with guests numbering the thousands at hotel convention rooms. Early next morning, party goers usually gather to have the traditional breakfast of chocolate con churros (hot chocolate and fried pastry). An amount of formality may be present at a dinner Dinner is a food-related term with several meanings. ... High school students celebrate at a birthday party. ... An amusingly named pub (the Old New Inn) at Bourton-on-the-Water, in the Cotswold Hills of South West England A pub in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh, Scotland A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada... Discothèque redirects here. ... Confetti is made up of small pieces of paper or plastic which are usually thrown at celebrations, espescially weddings. ... A playful conical hat made with a rolled up piece of thin cardboard, and has designs printed on the outside. ... Tourists sit outside a bar in Chiang Mai, Thailand A Depression-era bar in Louisiana. ... A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging, usually on a short-term basis. ... Breakfast (or Brekke in Canadianese) is a meal preceding lunch or dinner and usually eaten in the morning. ... A churro is a sweet, fried pastry food, popular in Spain, Mexico, Brazil, and the Spanish doughnut or Mexican doughnut. ... Hot chocolate with marshmallow For the musical band, see Hot Chocolate. ... Frying is the cooking of food with cooking oil as the heat transfer medium. ... Pastry is the name given to various kinds of dough made from ingredients such as flour, butter, shortening, baking powder and/or eggs that are rolled out thinly and used as the base for baked goods. ...

France

The French call New Year's Eve la Saint-Sylvestre. It is usually celebrated with a feast called le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre. This feast customarily includes special dishes and drinks like champagne and foie gras. The celebration can be a simple, intimate dinner with friends and family or a much fancier ball (une soirée dansante). Pâté de foie gras served picnic-style with a Sauternes wine and bread. ...

On le Jour de l'An (New Year's Day), friends and family exchange New Year's resolutions and sometimes gifts.

The holiday period ends on January 6, Epiphany. On this day, they traditionally enjoy a type of cake which varies depending on where you are in France (view the Epiphany article for more information). January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ as Angels look on in wonder in an Eastern Orthodox icon of the Theophany This article is about the Christian feast. ... John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ as Angels look on in wonder in an Eastern Orthodox icon of the Theophany This article is about the Christian feast. ...

Ecuador

During the celebration of Año Viejo, Ecuadorean citizens burn anthropomorphic figures made of wood, newspapers, and rags, which are then stuffed with fireworks. These figures, known also as Año Viejo, represent symbolically the detritus of the old year and are generally references to noteworthy events during the past year. Often these have included hated political figures, pop-culture references, etc. Motto: Spanish: Dios, patria y libertad (English: God, homeland and liberty) Anthem: Salve, Oh Patria Capital Quito Largest city Guayaquil Official language(s) Spanish1 Government Republic  - President Alfredo Palacio  - Vice-President Alejandro Serrano Independence    - From Spain May 24, 1822   - From Gran Colombia November 21, 1831  Area    - Total 256,370 km... ASIMO is an anthropomorphic robot created in 2000 by Honda. ... WOOD is a pair of radio stations in Grand Rapids, Michigan owned by Clear Channel on the frequencies of 1300 AM and 105. ... The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House illuminated under New Years Eve Fireworks 2005 A fireworks event (also called a fireworks display or fireworks show) is a spectacular display of the effects produced by firework devices on various occasions. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Category:New year celebrations

Wikinews has news related to:

World celebrates new year for gregorian calendar

Look up Happy new year in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Chinese New Year
• Omisoka (Japan)
• Áramótaskaupið (Iceland)

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary is a Wikimedia Foundation project intended to be a free wiki dictionary (hence: Wiktionary) (including thesaurus and lexicon) in every language. ... Chinese New Year decoration in Londons Chinatown Hand-painted Chinese New Years poetry pasted on the sides of doors leading to peoples homes, Lijiang, Yunnan, China. ... Ōmisoka (Japanese: 大晦日), New Years Eve, is an important day in Japanese tradition, occurring on December 31, the last day of the year. ... Áramótaskaupið (literally The New Years Eve fun) television show is an important part of Icelandic New Years celebration. ...