<< Discovering the world’s strangest New Year’s traditions |

Welcoming in 2016: The New Year timeline

December 24, 2015 08:11 by author

There are plenty of famous NYE celebrations around the world, but in this day and age of 24 hour TV news channels and live internet feeds on social media it's all about who gets to pop the champagne open first.

So where are the most important locations around the world when it comes to how they celebrate in order?

1. Samoa

Samoatravel

Samoa and Christmas Island (or Kiritimati) are the first places on earth to welcome in the New Year. This hasn't always been the case though, as the South Pacific island nation Samoa used to actually be one of the last, as it was the last pace on the pant to see the sunset each day.

However, everything changed on Dec. 31, 2011 when it lost a full day to align itself with Asian trading partners and become the first to say hello to the New Year.

2. New Zealand and Australia

Wiki

An hour later New Zealand beats its neighbour and traditional rival Australia to see in the New Year in terms of timing, but it can't match the spectacle of the Sydney fireworks display in the challenge for the most watched New Year's Eve celebrations in the world.

Fireworks light up the Sydney skyline in front of the iconic Opera House building with crowds greater than one and a half million strong watching from the harbour foreshore.

3. Japan

Youtube

Japan is two hours behind Sydney and has its own unique take on proceedings. Thousands of visitors pray, ring bells and toss coins as offerings at shrines across the country in traditions that stretch back centuries.

Temple bells ring 108 times because that's number of different causes of suffering, according to the Buddhist faith.

4. Europe

Travitas

Across Europe hundreds of thousands of people gather in major cities and towns alike, with notable celebrations taking place in Brussels, Madrid, Paris, Rome and Berlin, where over a million people usually gather in one city alone.

Each country has its own traditions and customs, however in Spain traditionally 12 grapes are eaten, one on each strike of the clock.

5. London

Travelholiday

In London, Trafalgar Square has long been the scene for revelry, but in more recent years the focus has shifted to the Thames where a major firework display takes place near the Houses of Parliament an attracts around 700,000 people. In Scotland Hogmanay is the most important day of the entire holiday season for many, and the Edinburgh celebrations are amongst the most well known of all.

6. USA

Today

Some five hours later the world's eyes fall on the USA and focuses on New York where a million people line the streets to see ticker tape fill Times Square before the famous New Year's Eve Ball descends from One Times Square.

The rest of the country sees the clock strike twelve as the time zones roll around to reach Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas in the west, where celebrations rival those of the east coast.