New Year’s Eve is December 31st in the United States. It is the end of the year. This is a significant social holiday and many parties are held during the evening.
Is New Year’s Eve a public holiday?
New Year’s Eve 2022 in Louisiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin is a state holiday. It is also observe in 48 other states.
Many Americans celebrate New Year’s Eve with special food and drink, like wine.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve
Many Americans celebrate New Year’s Eve as a major social holiday. People celebrate the New Year with parties at home and special celebrations. Large-scale public events are common in many cities. These events often draw thousands of people.
The ball drop at Times Square, New York City, is a striking part of the New Year’s Eve celebrations. The ball is made from crystal and electric light and place on top of a pole that is 77ft high (23 meters). The ball is slowly lower down the pole one minute before midnight, December 31st. The ball comes to rest at midnight at the bottom. It is broadcast on television in the United States and worldwide. Except during World War II, the event is held every year.
A variety of towns and cities across the United States hold their own version of the ball drop. A wide variety of objects are raise or lower during the final minute of each year. The objects are often link to local industry or history. Some examples of objects that were ‘dropped’ or raised this way are a variety of live and modeled animals, fruits, vegetables, automobiles and industrial machinery.
Public Life
Although December 31 is not consider a federal holiday it falls in the holiday season. Some states, such as Kentucky, Michigan, or Wisconsin, make it a holiday. Schools and other educational institutions across the United States are usually close. Some institutions are close while others are open but only offer limited services. Many shops are open on New Year’s Eve but close early. Special programs are offer by many theaters, clubs, and other entertainment venues. You may need to reserve tickets several weeks in advance.
Public transit systems can offer normal or reduce service. To allow people who attend New Year’s Eve celebrations to safely return home, some companies extend their hours into January 1. It is a good idea to verify the timetables before you travel if you plan to use public transportation on December 31.
Traffic may become congest or divert around large-scale events. In order to allow stands to be built, diversion may be in place in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve. If you plan to drive to large-scale events, it is a good idea to consult the local media.
New Year’s Eve
The last day of each year in both the Gregorian and Julian calendars, as use in the United States, is December 31. The mid-winter period in Europe was associate with parties and feasting. This type of celebration was frown upon in the United States and the colonies, especially by religious communities.
New Year’s Eve celebrations began to emerge in America around the turn of the 1900s. In 1907, the first Ball drop at Times Square took place. Special events were also organize to welcome the New Year around the same time.
