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New Year's Eve worldwide: Between celebrations and challenges
Find out everything about the global New Year 2026, from New Year's Eve traditions to safety measures in Germany.
New Year's Eve worldwide: Between celebrations and challenges
Today, December 31, 2025, millions of people around the world have already celebrated the New Year 2026. It started with the South Sea atoll of Kiritimati (Kiribati), which celebrated the turn of the year at 11 a.m. CET. With a population of around 7,300, people on the island celebrated happily, while New Zealand and the island nations of Samoa and Tonga followed suit at 12 p.m. These celebratory moments are often characterized by local customs that promise happiness and success in the new year.
A highlight of New Year's Eve was the big fireworks display in Sydney, which took place at 2 p.m. German time. Despite recent events on Bondi Beach, where a deadly terrorist attack overshadowed traditional celebrations, around a million people gathered to watch the spectacular fireworks display. Security was tight and a minute's silence was held at the site while a menorah was projected onto the Harbor Bridge. However, celebrations on Bondi Beach itself were canceled to commemorate the victims.
Traditions around the globe
New Year celebrations vary from country to country and are often rich in traditions. In the Czech Republic, for example, an apple is halved at midnight; the appearance of the core is said to indicate good luck in the new year. In Spain, however, people eat twelve grapes, one for each chime of midnight, in the hope of good luck. The Philippines relies on a colorful fruit basket with round fruits, which is supposed to symbolize prosperity. In Italy, however, red underwear brings good luck, while Peruvians wear yellow underwear for prosperity.
In the Cape Verde Islands, people commemorate the sea goddess Yemanjá by throwing perfume, mirrors and white roses into the sea. This is done in the hope of a flawless start to the new year. There is also an exciting tradition in Denmark: Here people smash old dishes in front of their friends' doors to wish them luck. In Brazil, white underpants are worn as a symbol of a new beginning.
Safety precautions and prohibitions
In Germany there are calls for a peaceful New Year, especially in Berlin, where 4,300 police officers are deployed for security. It is being discussed whether a general ban on firecrackers should be introduced, as injuries continue to occur. The Netherlands has already decided on such a ban on private fireworks from 2026/2027.
Impressive light shows are also planned in Asia, for example in Singapore and Bangkok. In Hong Kong, however, the traditional New Year's Eve fireworks display had to be canceled due to a serious fire that resulted in many deaths. In Rio de Janeiro, fireworks will be set off on Copacabana Beach at 4 a.m. CET, while the famous “ball drop” in Times Square in New York will get the American party spirit going at midnight.
Overall, the New Year is celebrated as a global event, with it taking 26 hours for the entire globe to enter the New Year. American Samoa will be the last inhabited place to welcome the New Year, twelve hours after Germany. With this in mind, we would like to wish all readers a happy and safe New Year!