Why do we drop a ball on New Year's Eve? The Times Square tradition, explained

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History
Why do we drop a ball on New Year's Eve? The Times Square tradition, explained

December 31, 2024 5:00 AM ET
By Rachel Treisman


Revelers celebrate the new year on Jan. 1, 1942, in Times Square. Its New Year's Eve ball drop attracts millions of viewers — at home and in the streets of New York City — every year.
Matty Zimmerman/AP

On the evening of Dec. 31, as in many years past, millions of people around the world will stop what they're doing to watch a 12-foot, 11,875-pound crystal ball slowly descend a New York City flagpole to announce the start of a new year. ... The Times Square ball drop has been a fixture of New Year's Eve since 1907, when the original wood and iron orb made its maiden journey. It remains a beloved tradition over a century and half a dozen ball redesigns later.

The storied ball has been lowered every year — except 1942 and 1943, due to lighting restrictions during World War II (which didn't stop crowds from gathering in Times Square). ... The New Year's Eve celebration has grown to include a long roster of musical performances and corporate sponsorships, with onlookers returning to the streets in growing numbers after the COVID-19 pandemic forced it online in 2020.

It's even inspired offshoots around the U.S., with various cities dropping everything from a giant pine cone and an oversize pickle to a monster-sized Moon Pie and high-heel-riding drag queen. ... But the Big Apple's big crystal ball has managed to stay at the center of it all. Here's a look at how the spectacle came about and how it's evolved over the years.

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