Happy New Year! The time is finally here. 2013 is now a memory, and 2014 is an open highway in front of us. Every year, millions and millions descend upon Times Square in New York City to ring in the dawning of a new year. The crowning jewel of the night is the annual ball drop in the middle of Times Square.
Ball Drop in Times Square on NYE 2014
GIF Credit: ZombieProphet
NYE Fireworks
GIF Credit: ZombieProphet
The ball itself is 12 feet in diameter, weighing almost 11,875 pounds. The ball is made entirely of Waterford Crystal, and has a series of 32,256 LED lamps with computerized lightning patterns. This year’s theme is called “Gift of Imagination,” and starts a brand new theme series known as “Greatest Gifts.”
Putting together a celebration like this takes the work of hundreds of thousands of people from around the world. Electricians, carpenters, designers, and many, many more spend months preparing for the celebration.
Then, you have the millions of people who descend upon the city and spend hours, and sometimes days staking their claim to what they consider the best vantage point to watch the festivities unfold. Whether it is raining, snowing, and utterly freezing outside, the people still stand valiantly.
The hardest job in all of New York City tomorrow morning is going to be the New York Department of Sanitation. Those are definitely some of the hardest working people in all of New York, and they will certainly have their hands full tomorrow.