New Year’s Eve 2021 — Photos From Around The World

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January 1, 2021 11:19AM EST

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New Year’s Eve Celebrations Across The World

New Year’s Eve Celebrations Across The World — Goodbye, 2020 – and good riddance. The world was grateful and eager to welcome 2021, with celebrations happening the moment the clock struck midnight. The first nations to celebration the New Year were Tonga, Australia, and New Zealand, and soon, the rest of the globe joined in on the party. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a lot of festivities to change. Many celebrated New Year’s Eve at home, while those countries that were able to get a handle on the coronavirus pandemic were able to celebrate, business as usual. However, no matter if people were six feet apart or bundled up close, New Year’s Eve was a cathartic moment for the entire world. From socially-distant fireworks over Sydney Harbor, to Big Ben lit up in colored lights, to an empty Time Square counting down the last final seconds in this miserable year, everywhere took a moment to bid adieu to the pain of 2020, before welcoming in the promise of 2021.

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Times Square NYE

Times Square NYE — In years passed, this would be the scene of New Years’ Eve Ball Drop in Times Square after the ball dropped, but with pandemic restrictions in place, very few people actualluy watched the iconic moment happen in NYC IN Times Square.

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Times Square NYE

Times Square NYE — The show must go on! Though looking very different for the last few years, the New Years’ Eve Ball Drop in Times Square still took place and happend with a bang!

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Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland — Friends Nick Rowland, Julia Brown, Peter Wood and Clara Calvert write 2021 in sparklers at Edinburgh Castle at the stroke of midnight.

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Taiwan New Year

Taiwan New Year — Fireworks go off on the Taipei 101 building as Taiwan rings in 2021. The building is located in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei.

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Taiwan New Year

Taiwan New Year — Here is another view of the fireworks going off from the Taipei 101 building in Taipei, Taiwan on Jan. 1, 2021. Fireworks were launched from different levels of the landmark building!

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Sydney Harbor Celebrates

Sydney Harbor Celebrates — Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as New Year celebrations begin in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. One million people would usually crowd the Sydney Harbor to watch the annual fireworks that center on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. However, COVID-19 meant that people had to stay far, far away.

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New Zealand New Year

New Zealand New Year — New Zealand and its South Pacific island neighbors have no COVID-19 cases, thanks to their size and strict lockdown guidelines. So, New Year celebrations there are the same as ever.

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Fireworks In Northeastern Japan

Fireworks In Northeastern Japan — Minamisoma, a northeastern Japan city, celebrated early. The area lit fireworks on Dec. 30, 2020, with the hope of an early end to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Japan Says Good-Bye to 2020

Japan Says Good-Bye to 2020 — Minamisoma struck hard by the 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster. So, the city decided to bring about some good luck by celebrating early, ahead of the disaster’s tenth anniversary.

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London Rings In 2021

London Rings In 2021 — London knows how to light up the sky too! ‘2021’ and red aerials fill the sky above The O2 stadium in London on New Year’s Eve in England’s capital.

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Rome Sets Off Aerials

Rome Sets Off Aerials — Pretty silver aerials fill the sky by Rome’s Colosseum on Jan. 1, 2021. Despite the festive display, Italy went into a nationwide lockdown to fight the coronavirus outbreak amid the holiday season.

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Berlin Goes Wild

Berlin Goes Wild — Fireworks erupt over Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate as the new year rolls in on Jan. 1, 2021. The fireworks display happens over a concert.

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Russia Draws A Crowd On NYE

Russia Draws A Crowd On NYE — A crowd gathers to watch a majetic fireworks display in Grozny, Russia on Dec. 31, 2020. The aerials illuminate the country’s landmark mosque.

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Edinburgh Watches The Sky

Edinburgh Watches The Sky — People gather on Calton Hill in Edinburgh to watch the fireworks in the sky. A group is pictured here gathered by The Portugese Cannon tourist attraction.

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