The celebration to ring in the New Year in the United States begins on December 31st and continues into the early hours of the morning on January 1st, although you will often hear people wish each other a happy new year for several weeks after the holiday.

Traditionally in the U.S., family and friends ring in this holiday with a party. Parties across the country often turn on the television to tune in to the famous celebration at Times Square in New York City. Hundreds of thousands of jubilant people crowd the square to join in the festivities and count down the last minute of the passing year as a lighted ball drops to the bottom of a pole. Once it reaches the bottom at midnight, the official start of the New Year, people hug and kiss, blow on noisemakers and set off firecrackers all across the country.

Retail stores often have sales to commemorate the New Year, but private businesses generally do not open for business. Restaurants may or may not close in observance of the holiday.

Numerous college football bowl games air on television over this holiday period. The famous Tournament of Roses Parade draws a crowd of spectators in Pasadena, California as well as a national television audience before the Rose Bowl football game between the top two collegiate teams.

Another tradition associated with the New Year holiday encourages people to make New Year’s resolutions. These usually take the form of commitments to accomplish or fulfill self-imposed goals, such as lose weight, start exercising or quit smoking.