New Year's Day is the first day of a new year. In 2014, it is on a Wednesday. New Year's is a national holiday, so schools, banks, post offices, and government buildings are closed. People celebrate New Year's by attending parties and staying awake until midnight on New Year's Eve. New Year's Eve is the night before New Year's. At midnight on New Year's Eve, party goers blow noisemakers, throw confetti, and kiss their partner. Some cities have firework displays. Times Square in New York City has a famous New Year's countdown just before midnight. At exactly midnight a large ball covered with lights slides down a pole.