New Year's Eve is probably the oldest celebration in the world - it started in Babylonia 4000 years ago. Most people celebrate it on 31st December.
New Year is a time for making resolutions but it is also about parties,fun and fireworks! There is also special food - in the USA people eat black-eyed peas,and in Europe they make cakes and sweets. In some English-speaking countries people wear paper hats, join hands and sing 'Auld Lang Syne' at midnight. Scotland is famous for its Hogmany (New Year) celebrations which last four or five days and have traditional Scottish music!
Countries around the world have fireworks and street Parties at New Year. Each year,the first place to experience the New Year is Kiritimati (Christmas Island) in the Pacific Ocean. After that, Auckland, New Zealand, is the first large city to celebrate and Alaska is one of the last places. On 31st December it is summer in Asatralasia. In Europe it is winter, but people still gather outside to celebrate!