New Years Eve in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Dec 31, 2024

New Years Eve in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

New Year"s Eve, also known as Old Year"s Day, is celebrated around the world with revelry, fireworks and for some, religious and cultural observances. Many countries celebrate with foods symbolic of prosperity, long life and good fortune for the coming year, and many people sing Scottish folk song "Auld Lang Syne" at the stroke of midnight to remember old friends and past experiences. The new year is often personified as a baby, a tradition that dates back to ancient Greeks, often paired with an old man who represents the previous year.

© Wagner Meier/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Happy New Year’s from down under
Dec 31, 2023New Years Eve!
Dec 31, 2025New Years Eve

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Oct 17, 2023Persepolis, Iran
Jun 24, 2025Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah, United States
As curious about you as you are about them
Nov 1, 2023Haut-Barr Castle, Vosges
The ancient ruins of Nalanda
An iridescent view
Racing through the five boroughs
Dec 23, 2025Reindeer, Lapland, Finland
Nov 27, 2024Tombeau du Géant in Bouillon, Belgium
Jun 19, 2025Masai giraffe mother grooming her calf in the Serengeti, Tanzania
Jun 28, 2024Stonewall uprising anniversary
Aug 11, 2026Nyhavn Canal, Copenhagen, Denmark
A triumphant pose
Mar 18, 2024Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
A life-sized snow globe
Nov 6, 2024Shi Shi Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington, United States
May 27, 2025Mona Vale rockpool, Sydney, Australia
Hangin around
Sep 26, 2023Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
Jan 1, 2026Happy New Year!
Nature’s own canvas
Jun 6, 2024Les Braves monument, Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
What are they celebrating?
What are these ancient animals?
Jan 28, 2024Channel Country, Australia
What’s blooming so brightly?
Beauty by the bay
Jun 23, 2025Elbe river in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
Singing the blues
In the spotlight