New York’s Times Square, the iconic epicenter of New Year revelry, pulsed with electric anticipation on December 30, 2025, as the countdown to 2026 kicked off with the annual Waterford crystal ball ascent preparations, drawing 1 million spectators under a canopy of confetti cannons and LED lights. From Sydney’s Harbour Bridge fireworks—set to launch at 9 p.m. AEDT on December 31—to Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach bash expecting 3.5 million in white attire for Iemanjá offerings, the planet’s 8 billion souls synchronized in a symphony of celebration, blending ancient rituals with modern marvels