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New Year's EveNew Year's Eve is an international celebration that takes place Dec. 31 to recognize the start of a new Gregorian calendar year. Celebrations typically take place in the evening and run through midnight, with the most common traditions unfolding as the year passes from one to the next. In the US, New Year's Day is a federal holiday, though New Year's Eve is not. The holiday's roots can be traced back to ancient Babylon and its celebration of the vernal equinox, marked by an 11-day celebration of the new year's arrival. The Julian calendar established Jan. 1 as the beginning of the new year. Many New Year's Eve traditions—including making resolutions, kissing at midnight, and singing “Auld Lang Syne”—evolved from folk celebrations and became more formalized with the rise of mass media.Explore New Year's Eve
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A Spanish New Year's Eve tradition is eating 12 grapes at midnightWhen midnight hits, participants in Spain, as well as Mexico and some Latin American countries, are encouraged to eat a grape for each of the clock’s strikes. (We’re assuming they’ve got some nice grandfather clocks!) The tradition is intended to bring good luck in the new year. The idea is believed to have originated in the 1890s, but took off when Spanish grape farmers had a surplus harvest. Atlas ObscuraMany New Year's Eve traditions came from German immigrantsWhile it’s hard to trace the origins of many New Year’s traditions, many of the norms for American New Year’s Eve celebrations come from German immigrants, who significantly influenced American culture in the 1800s. Below is an excerpt from an 1863 New York Times article describing a German New Year’s celebration. TIMEA Georgia town holds an annual New Year's Eve possum dropThe town of 3,200 residents in the northwestern corner of the state began the quirky event—which lowers a taxidermied possum dangling in the center of a Times Square-esque ball—in the mid-1990s. In 2024, it ranked eighth USA Today’s list of the best New Year’s Eve drops. 11AliveNew Year's Eve celebrations date back to ancient BabylonRather than celebrating in winter, the Babylonians honored the vernal equinox, a day in late March with equal amounts of darkness and light that signaled the start of a new year. They celebrated with Akitu, an 11-day festival. HistoryWhy genetic similarities between humans suggest a past near-extinction eventResearchers have found that low genetic diversity among humans—even those on opposite sides of the planet—may result from a breeding population of as few as 1,280 adults, estimated to have existed 930,000 years ago. This genetic bottleneck may have resulted from a near-extinction or from a small population of human ancestors, from which we all descend, that broke off from a larger population. New ScientistWatch a long, personal interview with Prince from 1999Prince often avoided press junkets, especially after he became a superstar. In 1999, though, in advance of a televised New Year's Eve concert, he sat down for a lengthy interview with Larry King, speaking about his childhood, career, and his conflicts with Warner Bros. He noted that it was uncharacteristic for him to spend so much time reflecting. "As I go through this journey, I don't look back much at all," he told King. "I try to stay in the now and live in the now." CNNSee the 25 of the best photos of auroras from around the world. BBC Science Focus MagazineAlaska has the highest lifetime credit card debt of all US states at $484,620That's 21.8% above the national average, partly due to Alaska's high cost of living and remote nature, which makes shipping in food and fuel more expensive. Iowa had the lowest average lifetime credit card debt out of all the states in the US at $319,740. Visual CapitalistThe first recorded American Mardi Gras was in AlabamaFrench explorers observed celebrations in what would become the United States in the late 1600s, but the first recognized modern American Mardi Gras took place in Mobile, Alabama, on New Year's Eve, running from 1830 into 1831. By 1840, the town had incorporated costumes, masks, and themes into its parade. After the Civil War, Mobile's Mardi Gras was moved to the more traditional date of Fat Tuesday. By 1850, a group from Mobile migrated to New Orleans, bringing the city's traditions with it. Encyclopedia of AlabamaExplore new and contemporary perspectives with Emerging Civil WarEmerging Civil War brings together historians and writers who offer fresh research, essays, and battlefield stories that uncover overlooked events, people, and places—showing that scholarship on the war is still evolving over 160 years later. Emerging Civil WarOne New Yorker saved $1,600 during her 'no-buy January'A social trend in recent years encourages participants to buy essentials only for the month (an abbreviation of the even more radical no-buy year). Hannah Marder gave the fast a go, fastidiously dividing her purchases into wants and needs and managing to save roughly $1,600 over the month. BuzzFeed'Salud!' is a toast to one's healthThe word is a shortened form of “para tu salud,” or “for your health.” The toast has become popular in Spanish-speaking countries as a shorthand for good health and general well-wishing. In Peru, the toast is usually made on New Year’s Eve with a sparkling wine, like Champagne or pisco sour. Wine Enthusiast‘Eureka Park’ is CES' startup hub at Vegas’ famed VenetianFor years, new ventures looking for funding and a network appeared alongside established bigwigs like Microsoft and Sony at CES. In 2012, CES created “Eureka Park,” a part of the convention where startups could congregate (some viewed it as being sidelined at the time). Producers of hit reality show “Shark Tank” scout new startups in the park every year. CESJimi Hendrix covered ‘Auld Lang Syne’ to ring in 1970The guitar hero played the song to ring in the new year during his 1969 New Year’s Eve concert at the Filmore East in New York. As you might expect from Hendrix, the standard gets pulled in some interesting directions. Jimi HendrixThe simple melody in 'Auld Lang Syne' has led to the song’s repurposingIn addition to becoming a standard tune to ring in the new year, the song has been reworked as a Dutch soccer anthem, a Japanese standard, and the South Korean national anthem. A significant part of its widespread use is that it has no copyright limitations. It helps, too, that it's simple melody is easy for even the most amateur singers to tackle. VoxGuy Lombardo first played ‘Auld Lang Syne’ on New Year’s Eve because of a cigar sponsorshipThe bandleader was booked to play a New Year’s Eve concert live on CBS radio program called the Robert Burns Panatela Show, named after its sponsor, a cigar brand. Lombardo, noting the cigar's name, decided “Auld Lang Syne,” penned by the poet Robert Burns, would be both a fitting tribute and, thematically, a great way to enter a new year. Atlas ObscuraThe best New Year’s Eve dropsThere’s more out there than the Times Square ball drop. This list ranks the best of the rest, including the Great Pinecone Drop in Arizona, the Lebanon Bologna Drop in Pennsylvania, and the Pickle Drop in North Carolina. USA TodayThroughout the 1980s, the Times Square ball was a giant appleFrom 1981 to 1988, the sparkling ball was replaced by a “big apple” to promote the city’s “I Love New York” tourism campaign. This broadcast is from the apple’s first year, where one announcer proclaims, “It’s great! It’s beautiful!” videoholic1980sAWatch 5 decades of Times Square ball dropsDick Clark started hosting his “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” show in 1972, which has become an annual television staple. This compilation includes five decades' worth of ball drops, allowing you to watch how the tradition subtly evolved. DeePeroThe New Year's ball was based on a navigational toolRobert Wauchope, a member of the Royal Navy, developed the contraption in 1818 so crews could know the time while out at sea. The ball would descend at the same time every day, allowing ships to set their clocks accordingly. Smithsonian MagazineThe Times Square New Year's celebration originated as a party for The New York TimesThe paper moved to the area, originally called Longacre Square, in 1904 and lobbied the city to rename it after the publication. The paper’s publisher, Alfred Ochs, threw a massive all-day party on New Year’s Eve to celebrate the opening of the paper’s headquarters, establishing the location as a destination for the holiday. NPRThe American colonies recognized New Year’s Eve in March until 1752England followed the Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar, which had an inaccurate method of calculating leap years. Because of that, New Year’s Day eventually slipped into the spring and was linked with the Christian festival of the Annunciation, which was on March 25. That date carried over to the American colonies, which didn’t change the first day of the new year until 1752, after England adopted the newer Gregorian calendar. State of MassachusettsA smooth, scrollable timeline of every 'SNL' cast memberStarting from season 1 in 1975, scroll through the years of the show's comic actors in this well-designed visual record and get a sense of their relative endurance on the show. Stop to click and read more on that season's highlights or the specific career arc of the actor. Kayla PlunkettThe Flyer sat in a shed for 13 years behind the brothers’ Dayton bike shopWhile the wood is the same used in the 1903 flight, the muslin has been replaced twice. After laying forgotten in sheds, the vehicle eventually took on national importance. However, the Smithsonian Institution did not recognize it until the 1940s, after it spent time at the Science Museum in London. National Air and Space MuseumHBO is developing a decade-long ‘Harry Potter’ television seriesAnnounced in 2023, the adaptation will retell all seven books across multiple seasons, with new casting and JK Rowling as executive producer. HBO says the series is set to premiere in 2027. DeadlineResearch suggests the brain maintains connections to lost limbsDecades-old research suggested brain reorganization after amputations, but brain scans show unchanged limb representations. Phantom limb pain may result from such unchanged brain maps, which may enhance prosthetic limb control in brain-computer interface technology. NPR'Dead Man Walking' (2000) is the most-performed new American operaBased on a true story, Jake Heggie's modern masterpiece tells the story of a Catholic nun who fights for the life of a man on death row. The opera has been staged over 70 times worldwide since its premiere. Classical MusicThe inside story of the 1969 murder of coal union leader Jock YablonskiIn 1969, Jock Yablonski challenged the longtime president of the United Mine Workers, Tony Boyle. On New Year's Eve of that year, Yablonski, his wife, and their daughter were brutally murdered in their beds. Shadow KingdomClimate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of severe turbulenceSevere turbulence over the North Atlantic has increased by 55% over the past 40 years, driven by strengthened jet streams and storm systems. Ongoing increases in global temperatures, which fuel these changes, may triple severe turbulence incidents in the coming decades. BBC NewsFlood recurrence intervals are based on independent probabilitiesThe term "100-year flood" does not mean the event will only occur once every 100 years, but it has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. Soil saturation, watershed size, and urban development can impact flood severity. USGSExtreme Games rebranded as X Games for global appeal In 1996, ESPN shortened “Extreme Games” to “X Games” to make the name easier to translate for international broadcasts and to strengthen branding as the competition expanded to global markets. X GamesMarkets have always recovered and hit new highs following crashesThe crash that preceded the Great Depression was the most severe the US has ever experienced. It was 28 times worse than the downturn that followed the Cuban Missile Crisis. Morningstar, Inc.Watch the Super Bowl commercial that launched DiscoverA Sears subsidiary, the financial services company Dean Witter, launched Discover Card through a Super Bowl commercial during Super Bowl XX. Ad AgeThe Chumash manufactured shell beads for thousands of years, eventually as moneyThe practice was unique to the Chumash among North American Indians. Some researchers have made the case theirs was the first use of money on the continent. Archaeology MagazineSome stars take longer to form than the current age of the universeThe first stars only burned for millions of years, providing the universe's first heavy elements. Some in the current population will burn for trillions of years, delaying the appearance of black dwarfs and other exotic cold stars. Smithsonian MagazineJane Austen fans mark 250 years since the writer's birth with a wave of partiesBorn in 1775, Jane Austen has left a legacy of romantic wit through her six novels, read by millions over 200 years after their publication. To celebrate the author's semiquincentennial, fans across the UK learned how to dance like the characters from the books. NPRBrian Wilson said 'Be My Baby' is 'the greatest record ever produced'The legendary Beach Boy was shocked the first time he heard the Ronettes' song. "I was driving and I had to pull over to the side of the road — it blew my mind." He claims he spent his career trying in vain to do something as good. "It's the greatest record ever produced. No one will ever top that one." (Paywall may apply.) The New York TimesIn recent years, Hollywood studios have reevaluated their Comic‑Con presenceComic-Con’s impact on the movie industry may be diminishing. In 2025, major studios—including Marvel, DC, Lucasfilm, Sony, Paramount, Legendary, and Lionsgate—scaled back Comic‑Con participation. They cited high costs, timing that didn’t align with release schedules, and limited marketing impact in a crowded promotional landscape. ComicBookMovie.comLearn how the US tax code works and why it's important First published in 1926, the US Code is the official codification of federal statutes in the US. Title 26 of the US Code, for instance, lists all of the federal tax laws of the United States. A new edition is published every six years. Library of CongressThe tradition of drinking Champagne on New Year's is believed to come from ancient RomeJulius Caesar might not have had sparkling wine, but when the Romans created the now-standard calendar that begins on Jan. 1, they celebrated with a toast. The tradition spread throughout Europe and then the colonies, and so when Champagne became the drink of choice for special occasions, it was only natural that it became the standard New Year’s Eve sip. City VinoKing is a major influence on modern genre writersStephen King's influence is felt across literature, film, and television—even outside the many books and adaptations that make up his long and storied career. This podcast features interviews with "Lost" showrunner Damon Lindelof and horror novelist Grady Hendrix, two writers who also happen to be King superfans. The New York Times Book Review PodcastPennsylvania's traditions of dropping foods for New Year'sPennsylvania towns celebrate New Year's Eve with unique, food-themed drop (or raise) events that showcase local culinary pride. The town of Lebanon drops 250 pounds of bologna attached to a disco ball, with a crane, in a celebration of their local smoked sausage tradition. Find out several more wild traditions in this quick article. Atlas ObscuraThe banishment of Nian marks the origin of the Lunar New YearAfter suffering for years as Nian destroys their crops and eats their children, villagers are visited by a mysterious stranger who reveals that the monster is afraid of loud noises and fire. The villagers use the information to drive Nian out, celebrating their victory every year after with fireworks, feasting, and more. PandaExpressTVBy 2028, a space trash-avoiding maneuver is expected to occur every 18 secondsAs the number of active Starlink satellites increases, greater efforts will be required to keep low Earth orbit free of debris, sparking a new technological space race. NASA has found that using lasers to manage small and medium debris could save up to $9B over 30 years. Morning BrewIn 2021, Colorado became the first state in the US to require companies to publicly disclose salary ranges on job postings. In 2021, Colorado became the first state in the US to require public disclosures of salary ranges. Flash forward a few years, and other places in America would get salary transparency laws, too, like Washington state, New York City, and California. But the salary transparency movement might have a downside: Some researchers believe it could hurt wage growth for workers over time. Watch this video to learn more. CNBCThe history of the Met GalaLearn how the famed Met Gala went from a small fundraising dinner to a star-studded event that brings in millions of dollars in donations every year. The gala has always centered on fashion. It’s a fundraiser for the Costume Institute dreamed up by one of the founders of New York Fashion Week. Over the years, that relationship has grown even closer and more creative. TIMESee photos from the day Havana fellWhen news broke that Batista had fled on New Year’s Eve 1958, photographer Burt Glinn rushed from Miami to Havana without an assignment. His iconic images—tanks in Old Havana and tearful reunions—captured a nation celebrating, uncertain, and on the brink of radical change. Magnum PhotosDouble rainbow appears in New York City on 9/11 anniversaryOn the evening of the 9/11 anniversary in 2023, a double rainbow appeared after a thunderstorm across Manhattan, providing inspiration 22 years after the terrorist attacks there. Peruse several amateur images taken of the phenomenon which were shared on social media, including shots from up high in condos overlooking Central Park and from across the Hudson River in New Jersey. USA TODAYInvestigating the death of a 5,300-year-old mummyAuthorities generally consider a case to have gone cold once they've run out of leads or the ability to collect and consider new evidence, usually within a few years of the instigating event. Now imagine being a detective charged with investigating a death that happened more than 5,000 years ago. This article details how Alexander Horn, a then-detective inspector, attempted to solve the mystery of Ötzi the Iceman's death. New York TimesMammals gradually expanded in size and diversity after the dinosaur extinctionAfter an asteroid impact caused a mass extinction event 66 million years ago, small mammals were among the few surviving species. With fewer predators, mammals steadily grew larger as new habitats emerged. Smithsonian Magazine
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