New Year's Eve around the world in 2023

New Year's Eve around the world in 2023
  How long until New Year's Eve?
New Year's Eve
  Dates of New Year's Eve around the world
2024 Various Dec 31
ArmeniaTue, Dec 31National Holiday
Australia Dec 31
Northern TerritoryTue, Dec 31Regional Holiday
South AustraliaTue, Dec 31Regional Holiday
AustriaTue, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
CanadaTue, Dec 31Government Holiday
CubaTue, Dec 31National Holiday
CuraçaoTue, Dec 31National Holiday
DenmarkTue, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
El SalvadorTue, Dec 31National Holiday
Faroe IslandsTue, Dec 31National Holiday
GreenlandTue, Dec 31National Holiday
GuatemalaTue, Dec 31National Holiday
IcelandTue, Dec 31National Holiday
IndiaTue, Dec 31Regional Holiday
LatviaTue, Dec 31National Holiday
LiechtensteinTue, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MacauTue, Dec 31Government Holiday
MaldivesTue, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MontserratTue, Dec 31National Holiday
MyanmarTue, Dec 31National Holiday
San MarinoTue, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
SwedenTue, Dec 31National Holiday
SwitzerlandTue, Dec 31Regional Holiday
ThailandTue, Dec 31National Holiday
VenezuelaTue, Dec 31National Holiday
2023 Various Dec 29, Dec 31
ArmeniaSun, Dec 31National Holiday
Australia Dec 31
Northern TerritorySun, Dec 31Regional Holiday
South AustraliaSun, Dec 31Regional Holiday
AustriaSun, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
CanadaSun, Dec 31Government Holiday
CubaSun, Dec 31National Holiday
CuraçaoSun, Dec 31National Holiday
DenmarkSun, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
El SalvadorSun, Dec 31National Holiday
Faroe IslandsSun, Dec 31National Holiday
GreenlandSun, Dec 31National Holiday
GuatemalaSun, Dec 31National Holiday
IcelandSun, Dec 31National Holiday
IndiaSun, Dec 31Regional Holiday
LatviaSun, Dec 31National Holiday
LiechtensteinSun, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MaldivesSun, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MontserratSun, Dec 31National Holiday
MyanmarSun, Dec 31National Holiday
PhilippinesSun, Dec 31National Holiday
San MarinoSun, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
SwedenSun, Dec 31National Holiday
SwitzerlandSun, Dec 31Regional Holiday
TaiwanSun, Dec 31National Holiday
ThailandSun, Dec 31National Holiday
USA Dec 29
KentuckyFri, Dec 29Government Holiday
MichiganFri, Dec 29Government Holiday (in lieu)
TennesseeFri, Dec 29Government Holiday
VenezuelaSun, Dec 31National Holiday
2022 Various Dec 30, Dec 31
ArgentinaFri, Dec 30Government Holiday
ArmeniaSat, Dec 31National Holiday
Australia Dec 31
Northern TerritorySat, Dec 31Regional Holiday
South AustraliaSat, Dec 31Regional Holiday
AustriaSat, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
ChinaSat, Dec 31National Holiday
CubaSat, Dec 31National Holiday
CuraçaoSat, Dec 31National Holiday
DenmarkSat, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
El SalvadorSat, Dec 31National Holiday
Faroe IslandsSat, Dec 31National Holiday
GreenlandSat, Dec 31National Holiday
GuatemalaSat, Dec 31National Holiday
IcelandSat, Dec 31National Holiday
IndiaSat, Dec 31Regional Holiday
LatviaSat, Dec 31National Holiday
LiechtensteinSat, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MaldivesSat, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MontserratSat, Dec 31National Holiday
ParaguaySat, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
PhilippinesSat, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
San MarinoSat, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
SwedenSat, Dec 31National Holiday
SwitzerlandSat, Dec 31Regional Holiday
Thailand Dec 30, Dec 31
ThailandSat, Dec 31National Holiday
ThailandFri, Dec 30National Holiday
USA Dec 30, Dec 31
KentuckySat, Dec 31Government Holiday
WisconsinSat, Dec 31Government Holiday
MichiganFri, Dec 30Government Holiday (in lieu)
West VirginiaFri, Dec 30Government Holiday (additional day)
VenezuelaSat, Dec 31National Holiday
2021 Various Dec 31
ArmeniaFri, Dec 31National Holiday
Australia Dec 31
Northern TerritoryFri, Dec 31Regional Holiday
South AustraliaFri, Dec 31Regional Holiday
CanadaFri, Dec 31Government Holiday
CubaFri, Dec 31National Holiday
DenmarkFri, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
El SalvadorFri, Dec 31National Holiday
Faroe IslandsFri, Dec 31National Holiday
GreenlandFri, Dec 31National Holiday
GuatemalaFri, Dec 31National Holiday
IcelandFri, Dec 31National Holiday
IndiaFri, Dec 31Regional Holiday
LatviaFri, Dec 31National Holiday
LiechtensteinFri, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MacauFri, Dec 31Government Holiday
MaldivesFri, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MontserratFri, Dec 31National Holiday
MyanmarFri, Dec 31National Holiday
ParaguayFri, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
RussiaFri, Dec 31National Holiday (in lieu)
San MarinoFri, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
SwedenFri, Dec 31National Holiday
SwitzerlandFri, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
TaiwanFri, Dec 31National Holiday
ThailandFri, Dec 31National Holiday
VenezuelaFri, Dec 31National Holiday
2020 Various Dec 31
ArgentinaThu, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
ArmeniaThu, Dec 31National Holiday
Australia Dec 31
Northern TerritoryThu, Dec 31Regional Holiday
South AustraliaThu, Dec 31Regional Holiday
CubaThu, Dec 31National Holiday
CuraçaoThu, Dec 31National Holiday
DenmarkThu, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
El SalvadorThu, Dec 31National Holiday
Faroe IslandsThu, Dec 31National Holiday
GreenlandThu, Dec 31National Holiday
GuatemalaThu, Dec 31National Holiday
IcelandThu, Dec 31National Holiday
IndiaThu, Dec 31Regional Holiday
LatviaThu, Dec 31National Holiday
LiechtensteinThu, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MacauThu, Dec 31Government Holiday
MaldivesThu, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
MontserratThu, Dec 31National Holiday
MyanmarThu, Dec 31National Holiday
ParaguayThu, Dec 31National Holiday
PeruThu, Dec 31National Holiday
PhilippinesThu, Dec 31National Holiday
San MarinoThu, Dec 31Not A Public Holiday
SwedenThu, Dec 31National Holiday
ThailandThu, Dec 31National Holiday
USA Dec 31
KentuckyThu, Dec 31Government Holiday
MichiganThu, Dec 31Government Holiday
TennesseeThu, Dec 31Regional Holiday
WisconsinThu, Dec 31Government Holiday
VenezuelaThu, Dec 31National Holiday
  Summary

The last day of the year in the Gregorian calendar is usually celebrated with parties as midnight approaches

  Which countries observe New Year's Eve in 2023?
National Holiday Regional Holiday Not a public holiday Govt Holiday
Related holidays

When is New Year's Eve?

New Year's Eve is December 31st, the last day of the year, in the Gregorian calendar.

Countries that still use the Julian Calendar observe New Year's Eve on January 13th.

New Year's Eve is traditionally celebrated with firework displays across the globe at 00:00 in the local time zones.

History of New Year's Eve

New Year's Day was fixed at January 1st in 153 BC, when the two Roman consuls, after whom - in the Roman calendar - years were named and numbered, chose that date, mainly for military reasons.

During the Middle Ages, a number of different Christian feast dates were used to mark the New Year, though calendars often continued to display the months in columns running from January to December in the Roman fashion.

Most countries in Western Europe had officially adopted January 1st as New Year's Day even before they adopted the Gregorian calendar. This was called Circumcision Style, because it was the date of the 'Feast of the Circumcision', which occurred on the eighth day after Christmas Day, and is said to have been the day when Christ was circumcised.

Traditions of New Year's Eve

"Auld Lang Syne", written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788, is traditionally sung at midnight on New Year's Eve. The words auld lang syne mean "times gone by".

About 1 million people will gather in New York City’s Times Square to watch the ball drop at midnight on December 31st and mark the arrival of the new year. The Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop tradition began in 1907 following a ban on the firework display that had taken place since 1904. The first ball weighed 700 pounds and was lit with 100 25-watt lights. The current ball is 12 feet in diameter, weighs 11,875 pounds and is covered 2,688 Waterford crystals, lit by 32,000 LED lights.

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves."
BILL VAUGHAN

In Japan, at midnight on Shōgatsu (New Year’s Eve), Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times to ring in the New Year and drive away the 108 evil desires that humans fall prey to. This event is called Joya no Kane and is carried on Japanese radio.

In Chile it is traditional for people to go to their local cemetery to party. It isn't so much for luck, more a chance to be reunited with lost loved ones. 

Spaniards eat a each grape for chime of the clock at midnight. Whoever finishes before the chimes end gets luck and happiness in the coming year. 

The Irish put some mistletoe under their pillows before going to sleep on New Year's Eve. It brings luck in love and a future husband or wife. 

In the Philippines they wear polka dots to guarantee wealth. Roundness signifies prosperity so they fill pockets with coins and eat circular fruits too. 

Families in Ecuador build a scarecrow and burn it to destroy all the bad things from the past 12 months. 

Red underwear brings good luck in Turkey on December 31st, but the colour is associated with evil the rest of the year and should not be worn. 

In Brazil white flowers are thrown into the ocean for Goddess of the Sea, Yemanja. Other offerings like perfume are sent out in small wooden boats. 

Italians throw old possessions from their balconies on to the streets below, the but watch out  - the items can be anything from toasters to fridges. 

Onions are hung on front doors in Greece to signify rebirth and regrowth and in the morning, parents get kids up for church by smacking them with the vegetable. 

In parts of Latin America, on New Year's Eve people wear yellow underwear if they want good luck in the New Year and red underwear if they want love.

New Year's Eve is celebrated in Scotland more than in the rest of the UK. This is because Christmas was effectively banned in Scotland from 1560 until 1712 due to the Scottish Reformation and only became a public holiday in 1958. Instead of Christmas, the Scots threw their end-of-year festivities into New Year. Rather than have a holiday on New Year's Eve, the canny Scots give themselves an extra public holiday on the Day after New Year to help recover. Read more about Hogmanay.

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Eve is traditionally the time to make New Year's resolutions, which one hopes to fulfil or abide by in the coming year; such as stop smoking or drinking alcohol, or lose weight or get physically fit.



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