Foreign media said that New Year's bells are ringing all over the world, and people gather happily in major streets to say goodbye to 2017 and welcome 2018.
According to a report on the Spanish "Vanguard" website on January 1, in Madrid , thousands of people gathered in the Puerta del Sol Plaza to celebrate the arrival of the new year. The cold and fireworks have become the most talked about topics, they mark the beginning of the new year in Madrid.
Barcelona's New Year's Eve rally was held in Montjuïc. Thousands of people hold cava in their hands to enjoy the fireworks that fill the night sky and say goodbye to 2017.
But elsewhere in the world, 2018 arrived hours ago. People in these places celebrate New Year's Eve with their own traditions. New Zealand is one of the first countries to celebrate the change of the old and new years.
As the new year dawns, the country's fireworks still echo in the centers and ports of major cities. People participating in the New Year's Eve sang songs, danced, kissed and hugged each other. In Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, tens of thousands of people gathered around the Sky Tower to enjoy the fireworks lit from the highest point of the building.
Japan then ushered in 2018, and Japanese people went to temples to pray for luck and peace in the new year.
Tokyo Zojoji Temple There are barbecue and octopus stalls. At midnight, people take turns ringing the bell 108 times. Such ceremonies are also held every year at other Buddhist temples in Japan.
Thousands of South Koreans gathered in the streets near Seoul City Hall for a New Year's bell-ringing ceremony. The VIP group selected to ring the New Year's bell in Bosingak include the white tiger and the Asiatic black bear, which are the auspicious symbols of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and PyeongChang Paralympics to be held in February and March 2018 respectively. things.
According to a report by the German Press Agency on January 1, security at the Sydney New Year celebrations was very strict. In order to prevent terrorist attacks, some police officers are issued Colt M4 rifles. There were no reports of a terrorist incident, but there was a moment of panic when thousands of people had to evacuate Sydney's northern beaches when a firework-laden barge caught fire.
However, the first to celebrate the New Year are the Pacific island countries of Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati. Locals welcome the New Year with traditional juggling and dancing.
In addition, according to the Associated Press report on January 1, in the cold New York Times Square , the moment the dazzling crystal ball fell, confetti fell from the air, and the dazzling fireworks were dazzling, revelers could not Fear the severe cold and welcome 2018 here. This is the second coldest New Year's Eve on record.
The temperature in New York City that day was only minus 12°C, and there were fewer people in Times Square than in previous years. The area separated by a metal fence, which is usually packed with people, was not full this year. As the ball dropped, revelers wrapped in hats, gloves, masks and layers of clothing danced, hugged and kissed each other.
Eva Santos of New York City said she hopes 2018 will bring more unity "both in our country and in other countries." She said: "I hope this is a year of peace and that there is more love. We hope that the future will be better."
Coren Keenan, also from New York, with her son Kevin and friend Devin Lai Let’s go to Times Square together to celebrate the New Year.
She said at the moment the crystal ball fell: "This is a wonderful experience. Nothing can compare to it, nothing can compare. Times Square is a must-visit place on New Year's Eve, that's for sure. Now, It's time for everyone to have a drink and warm themselves up."
Wright, from California , said she was "loving every moment of the day."
Mariah Carey struggled to finish her performance after she screwed up her New York New Year's Eve performance last year. Wearing a floor-length skirt and a white fur coat, she sang "Dream of Love" and "Hero", representative songs of the 1990s.
As is tradition, the final element of the celebrations is the lowering of the Waterford Crystal Ball from the sky over Times Square.
This year's crystal ball is 3.5 meters in diameter and weighs 5,385 kilograms. It is made of 2,688 triangles and contains more than 30,000 LED lights, making the big ball change colors like a kaleidoscope.
French people gather to celebrate the New Year on the Champs Elysées in Paris ( AFP )
People celebrate the New Year in Times Square in New York (AFP)
