People the world over found festive ways to usher in the 2019 new year, as the Gregorian calendar’s 2018 year came to a close at midnight on Dec. 31.
Many cities used fireworks to celebrate the new year with a bang. People in different countries also carried out unique traditions ― from Spain, where revelers eat 12 grapes as the clock rings out the 12 strokes of midnight for good luck, to Brazil, where those celebrating beachside have been known to run into the ocean’s waves.
Scroll down to see how nations worldwide greeted the first moments of 2019:
France
Nous sommes en 2019 ! Revivez le feu d'artifice tiré depuis l'Arc de Triomphe pour le passage à la nouvelle année pic.twitter.com/H4jRoOove5
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) December 31, 2018
Touristes et "gilets jaunes" attendent l'an neuf sur les Champs-Elysées https://t.co/pws5bOg91A par @mariegiffard et @cdoyen1 #AFP pic.twitter.com/EfkHA22QBy
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) December 31, 2018
Video: Disneyland Paris rings in the New Year! pic.twitter.com/GI7c7bv8Xm
— ED92 (@ED92live) December 31, 2018
Germany
#FrohesNeues 2019 aus Berlin! Mögen all Eure Wünsche in Erfüllung gehen und die guten Vorsätze bis zum 2.1. halten. #willkommen2019 #welcome2019 pic.twitter.com/8uuL6HWQx3
— Carsten Behrendt (@nahsehen) December 31, 2018
Lebanon
Beirut’s on fire!!! Happy new year everyone. #HappyNewYear2019 pic.twitter.com/MLcPA5Lyh8
— Elie Rizk ايلي رزق 🏎🏁 (@ElieRizkF1) December 31, 2018
United Arab Emirates
HAPPY NEW YEAR: Dubai rings in 2019 in style. https://t.co/YkXMuLGeTW pic.twitter.com/QazXUOEUkA
— ABC News (@ABC) December 31, 2018
2019! Dubai rang in the New Year just minutes ago (Vid: @DXBMediaOffice) pic.twitter.com/qllDBwGdSb
— Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) December 31, 2018
Thailand
Fireworks over Bangkok as Thailand welcomes in 2019 (BBC News). Happy New Year everyone! pic.twitter.com/M6m65tB05D
— Richard Barrow in Thailand 🇹🇭 🇬🇧 (@RichardBarrow) December 31, 2018
Bangkok rings in 2019 with an amazing fireworks show as cities across the globe prepare to greet the new year. https://t.co/qfP5phJrYU #NewYearsEve pic.twitter.com/Pzit1K5SBE
— ABC News (@ABC) December 31, 2018
Australia
Check out this impressive fireworks countdown on Sydney Harbour Bridge!#SydNYE sets the standard for the rest of the world in #NewYearsEve celebrations https://t.co/p8tRI62nza pic.twitter.com/Q8GmSltqw2
— ITV News (@itvnews) December 31, 2018
Happy New Year 🎉🥳💥🥂
— Sydney Opera House (@SydOperaHouse) December 31, 2018
Wishing you and yours a happy, prosperous and safe 2019.
Photo credit: Getty Images / City of Sydney #SydNYE #NewYearsEve #2019 #NYE pic.twitter.com/Csf1hgJ0vI
Singapore
Goodbye 2018, hello 2019! Singapore celebrates the New Year with spectacular fireworks at the Marina Bay countdown party https://t.co/SklcKnvCmi pic.twitter.com/eYsqXZqoiL
— Channel NewsAsia (@ChannelNewsAsia) December 31, 2018
Happy new year Singapore! Have a great 2019! 🎉🇸🇬🎆#HappyNewYear2019 #NewYear2019 #fireworks pic.twitter.com/x3FFg5HmkR
— AsiaOne (@asiaonecom) December 31, 2018
Brazil
🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) January 1, 2019
Rio welcomed the new year with a dazzling fireworks display over Copacabana Beach #HappyNewYear2019 pic.twitter.com/N6bsjfpYtI
United Kingdom
Ringing in 2019 in London #LondonNYE pic.twitter.com/utlyFQ3vEl
— Mike Johnson (@mkjhnsn) January 1, 2019
IN PHOTOS: The U.K. rings in 2019 with fireworks over The London Eye and Elizabeth Tower #HappyNewYear2019 pic.twitter.com/fCc7rJEkg4
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) January 1, 2019
Japan
Happy New Year from Japan!#English #teacher in #Japan #Kyoto#NewYearsEve #fun #Countdown2019 #count0 #HappyNewYear2019 pic.twitter.com/gQ8YSOBxEn
— Nicole Clement (@w36500days) December 31, 2018
Happy New Year Japan! Some spectacular fireworks at Appi Kogen ski resort in Tohoku #2019年 #HappyNewYear https://t.co/f6Y5a9kYOu
— Hiroko Tabuchi (@HirokoTabuchi) December 31, 2018
The #NewYear2019 party's wild at #ShibuyaCrossing in Japan! 🎉🥂 pic.twitter.com/SdyXhFFChe
— AsiaOne (@asiaonecom) December 31, 2018
Hong Kong
Fireworks light up the sky above Hong Kong for New Year https://t.co/RbxftBDaHV
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 31, 2018
Hong Kong brings in the new year with fireworks, lights and music centred on Victoria Harbour#HappyNewYear2019 pic.twitter.com/Rs12Dx4xJj
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 31, 2018
United States
Happy New Year! Revelers in Times Square in New York City ring in 2019 https://t.co/jfN2tRVof7 pic.twitter.com/twc8q9HzjM
— CNN (@CNN) January 1, 2019
🇺🇸🗽🎆 3, 2, 1…#HappyNewYear2019! Crowds brave the cold and rain to watch the ball drop at New York's Times Square pic.twitter.com/RWsqQr6dd2
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) January 1, 2019
It's 2019 in Chicago! Midnight on the Chicago River. Happy New Year! #news #chicago #NewYears2019 #nye #fireworks pic.twitter.com/ppAKm1bV2W
— Barry Butler (@barrybutler9) January 1, 2019
Seattle done put on a show tonight. pic.twitter.com/GwkbFXStUv
— Andy Solorsano (@Space_Cat189) January 1, 2019
Happy New Year, Las Vegas! pic.twitter.com/ngca3RGSLm
— KSNV News 3 (@News3LV) January 1, 2019
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