New Year's Eve in the United States
When is New Year's Eve in United States?
New Year's Eve in United States is on December 31, 2024. It falls on Tuesday.
How many days until New Year's Eve in United States?
There are 8 Days left until New Year's Eve in the United States.
Is New Year's Eve a public holiday in United States?
New Year’s Eve is a public holiday in some states in the United States, celebrated annually every 31st day in December. It is the last day of the year following the Gregorian calendar. Though not a federal holiday, the day is still filled with many festive events and entertainments.
On this day, educational institutions and most businesses are closed in the United States. Most of the Americans celebrate New Year’s Eve to say goodbye to the previous year and welcome the start of a new year. The country’s celebration of New Year’s Eve extends to January 1st, welcoming the new calendar year.
About New Year's Eve
New Year’s Eve, along with New Year’s Day has currently become one of the biggest celebrations held every year. Majority of the countries around the world celebrate these occasions.
How did New Year’s celebration begin?
According to records, New Year’s celebration dates back 4,000 years ago, taking place in the ancient Babylon (city of Babylonia, a kingdom in ancient Mesopotamia). The occasion is marked with a festival called Akitu, an old religious festival which celebrates the rebirth of nature.
When Pope Gregory XIII introduced his Gregorian calendar in 1582, he reestablished January 1st as New Year’s Day to mark the start of a new calendar year. With that, December 31st has been referred to as New Year’s Eve. Since most of the countries adapted the Gregorian calendar nowadays, many of these countries began their New Year’s festivities from New Year’s Eve which continues to New Year’s Day.
New Year's Eve Traditions in the United States
New Year’s Eve is a well-recognized celebration around the globe. It is held the day/night before New Year’s Day. Traditional practices associated with the celebration vary per country. In the United States, the occasion is celebrated through ball drop, parties, fireworks, and others.
New Year’s Eve Ball Drop
It has become a traditional practice for the Americans to witness the country’s ball drop on New Year’s Eve. Although many states in the US have now started their own versions of ball drop to celebrate the occasion, the one traditionally held in Times Square, New York City remains the most iconic of them all. The Times Square ball has been dropping since 1907, where a ball (made of crystal and electric lights) is placed on top of a well-designed flagpole and is lowered down slowly. The drop takes place a minute before midnight (11:59 p.m. EST), reaching the bottom at exactly 12:00 am to mark the beginning of the new year. This event has attracted millions of Americans and is even broadcasted not just in the United States but internationally.
New Year Parties
To celebrate the occasion, many Americans host their own parties at home. Friends and family gatherings are typical on this day. These parties are usually held on the eve of December 31st and continues into the early hours of January 1st. Since most workers are free from work, they are oftentimes seen spending these events with their loved ones. Attending church services or concerts on this last day of the year is also customary to some people.
New Year’s Eve Kiss
The tradition of sharing a kiss at midnight of New Year’s Eve was said to have its roots in German and English folklore. It was believed that kissing someone at midnight will not only ward off evil spirits but will also bring good luck to one’s love life. Today, this practice is still observed by many Americans during the celebration of New Year’s Eve.
Common Events during New Year's Eve in US
On this day, some children would give out ‘thank you cards’ for those people who are there to support them. In large cities, massive events and parties are thrown, attracting thousands of people to partake on the celebration. People usually gather before midnight with friends and family to do New Year’s countdown and witness the magnificent fireworks displays. Many cities from across the country would typically organize these displays to welcome the new year.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | December 31 | Tuesday | New Year's Eve |
| 2025 | December 31 | Wednesday | New Year's Eve |
| 2026 | December 31 | Thursday | New Year's Eve |
| 2027 | December 31 | Friday | New Year's Eve |
| 2028 | December 31 | Sunday | New Year's Eve |
| 2029 | December 31 | Monday | New Year's Eve |
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas Eve | December 24, 2024 |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2024 |
| New Year's Eve | December 31, 2024 |
Download or print free 2024 calendar which includes the list of holidays in United States. Free holiday calendar templates in more than 130 countries are provided in PDF, Excel, and Microsoft Word format. For those who like to get a calendar that starts on Monday, we also have ISO calendar.
The December 2024 monthly calendar for the United States shows the holidays for the month, which is helpful in planning schedule and events in reference to the upcoming holidays in the US. It is available in PDF, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel formats. You may select your preferred orientation and preferred start of week since we have Monday start calendar or Sunday start calendar.
If you are looking to print or download just a list of holidays in United States for the year 2024, we have that available in PDF, Word and Excel formats. This can be helpful for those who like to keep track of the holidays, be it for travel, work or any other purposes. It is free to use, just like the rest of our templates.