Sometimes with, sometimes without fireworks: New Year’s Eve was also determined by the corona pandemic in 2021. But somehow the New Year was celebrated everywhere. The pictures show some impressions from different countries around the world.
France: In many countries around the world, the New Year’s Eve celebrations were more restrained than usual due to Corona. The traditional magnificent New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Parisian Arc de Triomphe were canceled, and toasting with sparkling wine on the splendid Champs-Élysées was not allowed. In the French capital and large parts of the country, alcohol was banned on the streets around the turn of the year. Even so, a large crowd gathered on the Champs-Élysées.
Spain: After the cancellation last year, the most traditional New Year’s Eve mass party in Spain took place in Madrid. However, only about 40 percent as many people were allowed on the Puerta del Sol square as usual. Around 7000 people welcomed the New Year in a crowd and with a huge hustle and bustle. According to tradition, they ate a grape shortly before midnight at each of the 12 chimes of the clock in the Madrid city hall tower, which echoed every 3 seconds – and thought of wishes for the new year. You can find more bizarre New Year’s Eve traditions here.
Samoa and Kiibati: In many countries around the world, the new year started much earlier: The South Sea islands of Samoa and Kiribati were the first in the world – already at 11 a.m. Central European time – to slip into the new year. New Zealand followed an hour later, although most events and the fireworks from the Sky Tower in Auckland as well as all public events in other cities such as Christchurch and Wellington had been canceled due to Corona.
Australia: In Sydney, Australia – in contrast to last year’s New Year – tens of thousands of spectators were once again admitted to the fireworks in front of the opera house. Interested parties had to buy a ticket in advance for one of around 30 viewpoints. In the state of New South Wales, in which Sydney is located, the corona numbers are exploding due to the spread of the omicron variant.
China: In China, several cities canceled fireworks and major festivities due to corona, including Beijing and Wuhan, the city where the corona virus first broke out in late 2019. New Year’s Eve is not in itself a particularly important holiday for the Chinese. According to their traditional lunar calendar, this time the new year doesn’t start until the beginning of February.
Thailand: In Thailand – one of the few long-distance destinations where numerous tourists are currently staying – many restaurants were exceptionally allowed to open until 1.00 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. In the capital Bangkok, tens of thousands of locals and tourists welcomed the New Year on the famous backpacker mile Khaosan Road. The corona numbers in Thailand have so far been low despite the Omikron variant.
Dubai and Moscow: Dubai welcomed the New Year with colorful fireworks and a laser show on the tallest building in the world. In Moscow there was a big fireworks display at the Kremlin and Red Square at 10 p.m. CET.
In other countries, people have to be patient: Parts of Brazil and Argentina can’t start the New Year until 4:00 a.m. CET, followed by New York at 6:00 a.m., Los Angeles at 9:00 a.m. and Honolulu in Hawaii at 11:00 a.m.
It will take until 1 p.m. CET on January 1st for the whole globe to slide into the new year. Last up are the uninhabited islets of Baker Island and Howland Island in the Pacific.
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