New Year Celebrations

Many parties and gatherings take place on New Years Eve and most people stay up to see in the New Year, often waiting for Big Ben to strike the midnight hour (it’s always on TV and radio).After the clock strikes and the New Year begins, it is traditional for people to think of the year ahead and to make New Years Resolutions to live a better life – often choosing to give up smoking or to take more excercise, for example. The day itself is often a family get together and a chance to recover from the festivities of the night before. The door is opened to let in the New Year, and First Footing hopefully brings good luck. For New Years Eve customs and for First Footing see their individual listings.

Helpful Hints

The photos are from the 2018/19 New Year Celebrations in London featuring the famous firework display over the Thames with London Eye as backdrop. In 2021 there won’t be a Fireworks Display over the Thames to welcome in 2022 and the planned some smaller scale live-music celebrations in Trafalgar Square with restricted numbers have also been cancelled.

You need tickets to see the London event from the Embankment and other designated viewing areas – in 2018 they cost £10 each and went on sale in September. There are rules about what you can bring in with you etc: for more information and to book follow this link: https://www.london.gov.uk/events