While the new year is celebrated in every country based on the
time zone in which it lies, the real party starts when the summer night sky over
Sydney's Opera House comes alive with a burst of fireworks marking the
new year down under. It is still morning in New York when Sydney
celebrates the dawn of a new year and television channels across the
world display images of revelers partying in Australia.
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is rapidly becoming another major global New Year's eve party spot. While fireworks will be held in different locations across Dubai - in Global Village, near the Atlantis Hotel and by the Deira Creek - the place to be is in Downtown Dubai with a good view of the Burj Khalifa. Restaurants in the area have already sold out the tables with the best views but the real fun is being among the crowds and witnessing the fireworks that will surround the tallest man-made structure on earth.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris is mainland Europe's major landmark for new year's celebrations but the fireworks on the Thames in London with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in the foreground will light up the night sky to mark Europe's entry into the new year.
However, the creme de la creme remains New York's Times Square. A 12 ft geodesic sphere covered with 2,668 Waterford Crystals and illuminated by 32,256 Philips LED lights will descend down a 77ft tall flagpole starting at 11:59pm and complete its journey down in sixty seconds. At precisely midnight, the lights in the ball will go out and a large display will light up with the numerals for the new year - 2012. On cue, fireworks will begin at One Times Square in New York city where a million people will be standing to ring in the new year. An estimated 100 million people in the United States will be watching the event on television and on their computers thru livestreaming. Around the world a billion people are expected to watch this event.
Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber are expected to perform at Times Square while Mayor Bloomberg will be part of the million people in the audience at One Times Square. Let us know where you celebrate the new year.
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