Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year

New Years Eve
In the United States, New Year's Eve is a major social holiday. One of the top destination cities for New Year's Eve from 2003 to 2006 has been New York.[10] Las Vegas's America's Party‎ is also attracting a large number of New Year's Eve party goers with the famous Las Vegas Strip being closed to vehicles and fireworks launched from numerous rooftops.

In the past 100 years the "ball dropping" on top of One Times Square in New York City, broadcast to all of America (and rebroadcast in many other countries), is a major component of the New Year celebration [11]. The 11,875-pound (5,386 kg), 12-foot (3.7 m) diameter Waterford crystal ball located high above Times Square is lowered, starting at 11:59:00pm and reaching the bottom of its tower 60 seconds later, at the stroke of midnight (12:00:00am). This is repeated in many towns and cities across the United States[11]. From 1981 to 1988, New York City dropped an enlarged apple in recognition of its nickname. It is sometimes referred to as "the big apple" like the city itself; the custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at noon in harbors.

From 1972 through 2007 (except in 1999), Dick Clark hosted televised coverage of the event called Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, shown on ABC, and now renamed Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest for the arrival of 2009. The show did not air for the arrival of 2000 as it was preempted by ABC 2000 Today. From 1956 to 1976 on CBS, Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians serenaded the United States from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City. The Royal Canadians continued on CBS until 1978, and Happy New Year, America replaced it in 1979, continuing until 1995. The song Auld Lang Syne has become a popular song to sing at midnight on New Year's Eve, with the Lombardo version being the standard. NBC also has hosted New Year's coverage; traditionally, the networks' late night hosts have hosted special editions of their regular shows (including a special Central Time Zone-specific countdown on Late Night with Conan O'Brien), but since 2005, the network has opted for a special entitled New Year's Eve with Carson Daly. Fox, CNN, and Fox News Channel also have their own New Year's specials.


8 comments:

Sunny said...

Happy New Year! Thank you for all the smiles you have provided.
Sunny :)

Beth Niquette said...

I have so enjoyed getting to know you! Thank you for all the fun, and a Happy New Year to you and Abe.

The New Year, along with Christmas, is one of those world-wide holidays that is celebrated everywhere. I like that idea.

((hugs)) Happy New Year!

Martin Stickland said...

A happy new year to you and Abe and I hope 2010 will be great for you and your family patty!
Love Martin & family

Lady Di Tn said...

Happy New Year. Hope Abe is better. This year the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville will be lowering a huge guitar around 80 feet at midnight. Earlier they had a guitar smashing event, using rejected guitar, and several local country music folks were in the event for charity. Peace

Renie Burghardt said...

Eileen and a couple of other friends are due to arrive by 8. We'll be yakking and snacking and even having a tiny bit of bubbly, and will watch the ball drop from New York. That is a must for Eileen, as she is from New York City. Tomorrow, after church, I have been invited to dinner. Should be a nice beginning to the New Year.

Happy New Year to you and yours, Patty.

Love,

Renie

Cheryl said...

My wild and crazy New Year's celebration is eating snacks and then off to bed early-up and out tomorrow to take my two nieces on their first snowshoe trip! Happy New Year's to all.

Margaret Cloud said...

Patty, thanks for all the nice post, some very funny and some informative and sometimes natty.

The Mulligan Family said...

That was an interesting little history lesson. I hope you had a nice New Years Eve. Wishing you and Abe a spectacular 2010. (Thanks for the e-card too!)

Cheers, Cindy