12:10 pm ET – New Year in New York: Ball drop, Confetti shower, rain stopped – “What a Wonderful World”

What a wonderful New Year celebration in New York. The countdown was running in front of 1 Million (!) spectators. The rain stopped a few minutes before midnight. Instead of the rainstorm a big confetti shower was the perfect surrounding for the party.

At midnight the ball dropped, the million visitors cheered and celebrated, the band played “New York, New York” and then the song of the day: “What A Wonderful World”.

Everybody was happy – even Anderson Cooper got drunk live on CNN after he drank more than 6 tequilas on air.

After the Ball drop fireworks started at the river and the party got to full swing with Ellie Goulding and her hit “Burn”. 2025 seems to become a very special, very successful and very happy year !

11:55 pm ET – Biggest New Years parties in US: From Times Square to Las Vegas – where the celebrations are best and biggest

At midnight the celebrations on the US East Coast start.

The biggest party will be on Times Square with the drop of the ball and 1 million spectators watching a big firework

Second biggest party is in Orlando at Disney World.

Also a big party in Washington CC

The most famous party will be with Donald Trump at his mar a Lago bash.

A must-see is also New Orleans.

The traditional music hotspot for New Year is Nashville.

The biggest celebration in the West will be in Las Vegas o the Strip.

Big New Years celebrations – three hours behind New York – will be in San Francisco in the harbor and in Los Angeles at Grand Park and Union Station.

The biggest event in Los Angeles will be the famous Rose parade in Pasadena on New Years Day starting at 8 am in the morning.

11:40 pm – ET — Before the Times Square Ball drops: First summary of New Years Eve around the World: Abu Dhabi, Paris, London, Rio and New York are the winners

30 minutes left for the big <New Years Ball Drop on Times Square.

It s time for the first summary of New Years Eve worldwide:

• The World s largest fireworks took place in Abu Dhabi – it lasted 53 minutes, had more than 100.000 rockets for more than $ 25 million.
• The most artificial New Years display was seen in Sydney – with AI-drawn holograms and displays in the air at Sydneys famous opera
• The most beautiful New Years Eve was experienced in Paris, where the Arc de Triomphe was enlighten in beautiful displays and the fireworks were celebrated at the Champs Elysee and the Arc de Triomph instead of the traditional Eiffel Tower – a fantastic experience.
• The best New Years Eve show in Europe was shown in London with an the biggest European firework infant of the London Eye – 15 minutes spectacular rocket show in pouring rain with more than 1 million watching
• The biggest New Years Eve celebration took place in Rio de Janeiro with 2,5 million spectators on the Copacabana.
• But the most watched spectacle at midnight will be once more the Drop of the Ball at Times Square followed b a spectacular firework – watched by more than 1 billion viewers worldwide and broadcasted by all US television stations.

11:05 pm ET – Puerto Rico celebrates the New Year in complete Blackout – but in good spirit

The strangest New Year celebration took place in Puerto Rico at 11:00 pm New York Time – the US territory greeted the New Year in complete darkness because a power outage made the whole island dark.

Puerto Rico was the first US territory to celebrate New Year – one hour before the East coast. The whole island was without power on New Years Eve – but still the New Years celebrations were full of joy, fun and good spirit.

Only a few generators brought light to the parties, only few and small fire works took place. But the New Years Eve in the dark was still a big party all over the island.

11:00 pm ET – Last hour before the Ball Drop on Times Square – 1 million fans in attendance – pouring rain, no umbrellas allowed

The countdown is ticking: Only one hour left til the Big Ball is dropping at midnight. Starting at 3:00 pm more than one million (!) spectators filled Time Square and all the adjoining streets.

The crowd is sensational because New York is experiencing pouring rain on todays New Years Eve, it s cold (below 50 degrees) and it s one of the worst weather scenarios on any New Years evening. In addition umbrellas are forbidden on Times Square, so the crowd is soaking in the pouring rain.

Despite the pouring rain everything is ready for the big confetti shower and the drop of the Big Ball made out of thousands of crystals at midnight.

10:15 pm ET – Record-breaking New Years Eve party in Rio – 2,5 million spectators on the Copacabana

The biggest New Years Eve party is on the way in Rio de Janeiro. 2,5 million spectators are at the Copacabana to watch a 12 minute long huge fire work with more than 30.000 rockets fired from the sea on ten barges. More than 20 local artists perform on a huge, eight story high stage. The Rio-party is the biggest New years party of this year.

10:05 pm ET – Trump rings in new year at huge Mar-a-Lago-bash with Melania and 300 partygoers

President-elect Donald Trump holds his annual New Year’s Eve party tonight with more than 300 party goers in his Mar a Lago palace.

Its a very special night for Trump while he is starting in his sensational comeback year.

It is supposed to be a huge New Year’s bash with a 5-course menu and a firework at midnight. His wife Melania is on his side, nearly the whole Trump-family is present.

As far as til now Elon Musk has not been sighted, also Bill Gates was not spotted.

Trump is expected to hold a short speech and do his famous DJ-performance with YMCA as the highlight of the night.

Meanwhile President Biden flew back from his Caribbean Christmas holiday to have a secret and private New Years Eve at his home.

9:05 pm -ET – Record attendance in Rio: 2,5 million celebrate New Years Eve on the Copacabana

The biggest New Years Eve party will take place at 10:00 pm New York Time in Rio de Janeiro: 2,5 million spectators are expected to be part of the celebrations at the famous Copacabana, half a million of them will be tourists.

The New Years celebration in Rio will be crowned by the biggest fire work in South America with 35.000 pyrotechnic shots in a 15 minute show. The fire works will be shot from ten barges along the seaside.

The main stage in front of the Copacabana palace will feature 20 Brazilian artists. It will be the largest stage in history, reaching the height of an eight-story building.

7:30 pm ET – Mega-party at New York Times Square is in full swing – 1 Million in attendance – But all will be soaked by heavy rain starting at 8:00 pm

The biggest party of New Years Eve is in full swing since 6:00 pm: The drop of the New Years Ball on Times Square in New York. Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers are streaming to Times Square already – the city is in gridlock already.

The good news: No terror incidents til now – except one incident in the subway where a straphanger was shoved on the subway tracks but survived.

But the bad news: In less than half an hour New York will experience a lot of rain – the rainstorm will last for more than four hours til midnight. One million fans will be soaked by rain in the wettest New Years Eve party in years.

7:16 pm ET – London was the last European City to start into 2025 – with an incredible spectacular fire work show at the Eye and the Big Ben ringing in the New Year

Because of the time difference London started one hour after all the other European Cities in the New Year. The fire works at the London Eye were the most spectacular of Europe.

The London Eye was illuminated in all colors and had impressive displays, the fire works stretched up tp three miles along the river Thames and the Big Ben was ringing in the New Year at midnight.

As a final judgement: London had – once more – the most impressive fire work of all European cities. On a mega display of more than three miles more than 5.000 pyrotechnical rockets were fired up in the air. Londoners celebrated these incredible fire works in the millions and danced on the streets.

With 13 minutes the London fire work was the longest in Europe – and with more than $ 5 million in costs the most expensive.

In a ranking London was Number 1 with its spectacular fire work at the Eye, follow by Paris with its pyrotechnic show at the L’Arc de Triomphe and Berlin with its fire works in front of the <Brandenburger Tor.

6:15 pm ET – Europe starts into 2025 – with Paris having the best show at the Arc de Triomphe and 1 million on the Champs Elysee

Now – at 6:00 pm New York time – Europe started into the New Year of 2025.

All over Europe they had incredible New Years Eve shows – from Vienna where 1 million Austrians celebrated New Years Eve on the famous “Silvesterpfad” with the bells of the Stephansdom and the Viennese Waltz danced on the streets to Berlin with a huge open air celebration in front of the Brandenburger Tor and also more than 1 million celebrating.

But the most impressive New Years Eve was celebrated in Paris where the famous Arc de Triopmhe was showing an incredible fascinating Light Show for more than 2 hours with more than a million French on the Champs d’ Elysee.

The Paris New Years festival was crowned by the most impressive fire works of Europa with more than 15 minutes of incredible beautiful pyrotechnic effects.

The fire works were displayed in front of the L’Arc de Triumph – an incredible spectacular performance not matched by any city of the world this year.

Paris is til now by far the winner of New Years Eve shows of the world this year – incredible spectacular, beautiful, impressive. The perfect crowning of the Paris Olympic year.

It was the first time that Paris had its fire works not at the Eiffel Tower but at the L’Arc de Triomphe – and it paid of.

5:45 pm ET – Only few minutes to the Start of the New Year in Europe – Paris and Notre Dame are at the heart of the celebration

In a few minutes Europe will start the new year with millions on the streets and more than 10.000 huge fire works from Vienna to Berlin and from Budapest to Paris.

At the center of the celebrations will be Paris with Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower.

Notre Dame had a very impressive celebration already with the Notre Dame choir performing wonderful Christmas Songs including “Silent Night Holy Night”.

At 12:00 pm there will be one of the most impressive fireworks of the world at the famous Eiffel Tower enlightening the whole city with a 30-minute pyrotechnic show that showed a new world record of pyrotechnic beauty .

5:35 pm ET – New Years eve on Times Square starts at 6:00 pm – the detailed program – Thousands already there – Freezing Temperatures under 30 degrees

A polar vortex moving across the East is bringing freezing temperatures to New York just when the big New Years celebration on Times Square will start.

Temperatures will fall below 30 degrees and even a potential snowstorm might be possible.

The city is expecting nearly one million (!) visitors amid the freezing temperatures.

The Celebration begins at 6:00 pm with the Lighting and Raising of the New Years Eve Ball. Next there will be a Chinese Cultural performance at 6:05 pm and th 2025 Hats, Balloons and Necklaces show.

At 6:50 pm Rita Ora performs a medley of her hit songs on the Planet Fitness Stage.

At 7:40 there will be a Performas by the Jonas Brothers.

Each hour will be a special Hourly Kia Countdown accompanied by colorful pyrotechnics – the first big one at 8:00 pm.

At 9:00 pm it will be time for the NYPD Marching Band followed by Mickey Guyton.

A lot of artists from Greeicy to De La Ghetto perform from 9:00 to 11:00 pm.

At 11:16 the Associated Press will show the Video Highlights of the year. followed by Carrie Underwood and Mickey Guyton.

At 11:59 pm the Sixty-Second-Countdown starts followed by the drop of New Year’s Eve Ball at Midnight.

At midnight is the famous confetti Release and the Pyrotechnic Effects. The show ends at 12:15.

5:05 pm ET – Now Europe starts the New Year – Athens is first, one hour ahead, with Sting and Acropolis fire works

Now – at 5:00 pm New York time – Europe ist starting into the New Year. First is Athens with a time difference of one hour and a huge New Year show at the Acropolis.

Sting had a live concert already playing “Message in a bottle” – now it’s time for a huge fire work with the iconic Acropolis as picturesque background and 200.000 Greeks in attendance.. The whole city of Athens is unlighted in thousands of firework displays.

4:15 pm ET – Now Doha and Dubai start into 2025 with the biggest fireworks til now – 55 minutes extravaganza

Now it’s time to start the new year in Dubai and Doha. Both Mega-Cities have incredible fireworks on display.

Doha started at 0:00 am – 4:00 pm New York time – into the New Year of 2025 with an incredible fire works show. The show will last 55 minutes – a new world record – and cost more than 8 million dollars.

Beside the big show in Doha center with incredible computer animated displays Doha will have more than 10.000 private fire works – an incredible spectacle all over the coast.

The biggest fire work was shown in Dubai at the legendary Burj Khalifa:

Across all seven Emirates there are 60 locations with magnificent fire works and multiple world records. Abu Dhabi had a non-stop 53-minute firework, Dubai had 45 aerial pyrotechnics never seen before in the world.

4:10 pm ET – The world begins welcoming 2025 with light shows, embraces and ice plunges 

From Sydney to Vladivostok to Mumbai, communities around the world began welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges.

Auckland became the first major city to celebrate, as thousands thronged downtown or climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point. A light display recognized Indigenous people.

Countries in the South Pacific Ocean are the first to ring in the New Year, with midnight in New Zealand striking 18 hours before the ball drop in Times Square in New York.

Conflict muted acknowledgements of the new year in places like the Middle East, Sudan and Ukraine.

Earliest fireworks

Fireworks blasted off the Sydney Harbor Bridge and across the bay. More than a million Australians and others gathered at iconic Sydney Harbor for the celebration. British pop star Robbie Williams led a singalong with the crowd.

The celebration also featured Indigenous ceremonies and performances that acknowledged the land’s first people.

Asia prepares for Year of the Snake

Much of Japan shut down ahead of the nation’s biggest holiday, as temples and homes underwent a thorough cleaning.

The upcoming Year of the Snake in the Asian zodiac is heralded as one of rebirth — alluding to the reptile’s shedding skin. Other places in Asia will mark the Year of the Snake later with the Lunar New Year.

In South Korea, celebrations were cut back or canceled during a period of national mourning following the Sunday crash of a Jeju Air flight at Muan that killed 179 people.

In Thailand’s Bangkok, shopping malls competed for crowds with live musical acts and fireworks shows. A fireworks display in Indonesia’s Jakarta featured 800 drones.

China and Russia exchange goodwill

Chinese state media covered an exchange of New Year’s greetings between leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a reminder of growing closeness between the leaders who face tensions with the West.

Xi told Putin their countries will “always move forward hand in hand,” the official Xinhua News Agency said.

China has maintained ties and robust trade with Russia since the latter invaded Ukraine in 2022, helping to offset Western sanctions and attempts to isolate Putin.

Seaside celebrations and beyond

In India, thousands of revelers in the financial hub of Mumbai flocked to the city’s bustling promenade facing the Arabian Sea. In Sri Lanka, people gathered at Buddhist temples to light oil lamps and incense sticks and pray.

In Dubai, thousands are were attending a fireworks show at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper. And in Nairobi, Kenya, scattered fireworks were heard as midnight approached.

A Holy Year begins

Rome’s traditional New Year’s Eve festivities have an additional draw: the start of Pope Francis’ Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration projected to bring some 32 million pilgrims to the Eternal City in 2025.

On Tuesday, Francis will celebrate a vespers at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by Mass on Wednesday, when he is expected to again appeal for peace in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Jan. 1 is a day of obligation for Catholics, marking the Solemnity of Mary.

Paris recaptures the Olympic spirit

Paris was capping a momentous 2024 with its traditional countdown and fireworks extravaganza on the Champs-Elysées.

The Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games hosted in the French capital from July to September had transformed the city into a site of joy, fraternity and astonishing sporting achievements.

Frank and Rowena Klar from San Francisco visited the French capital to celebrate 31 years together. “If you start it big, we think we’re going to have a great year,” he said.

Wintry weather, for good and bad

London was due to ring in the New Year with a pyrotechnic display along the River Thames. With a storm bringing bitter weather to other parts of the United Kingdom, however, festivities in Edinburgh, Scotland, were canceled.

But in Switzerland and some other places people embraced the cold, stripping and plunging into the water in freezing temperatures.

Rio expects 2 million revelers

Rio de Janeiro will throw Brazil’s main New Year’s Eve bash on Copacabana Beach, with ferries offshore bearing 12 straight minutes of fireworks. Thousands of tourists in cruise ships will witness the show up close.

More than 2 million people were expected at the Copacabana, hoping to squeeze into concerts by superstar Brazilian artists such as pop singer Anitta and Grammy-award winner Caetano Veloso.

American traditions, old and new

In New York City, the organization managing Times Square has tested its famous ball drop and inspected 2025 numerals, lights and thousands of crystals as part of a tradition going back to 1907. This year’s celebration will include musical performances by TLC, Jonas Brothers, Rita Ora and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Las Vegas’ pyrotechnic show will be on the Strip, with 340,000 people anticipated as fireworks are launched from the rooftops of casinos. Nearby, the Sphere venue will display for the first time countdowns to midnight in different time zones.

In Pasadena, Rose Parade spectators were camping out and hoping for prime spots. And some 200,000 people were flocking to a country music party in Nashville, Tennessee.

American Samoa will be among the last to welcome 2025, a full 24 hours after New Zealand.