There's a lot of good history and tradition behind New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebrations, and since the new year is in sight, I thought it'd be fun to give a little backgroud.But not in a droll, boring kid of way, of course.
As most people know, even if they don't live in the United States, in America, one of our biggest celebrations for New Year's Eve is the ball drop in Times Square.
The original ball was dropped on New Year's Eve in 1907.
The ball was made of wood and iron, weighed around 700 pounds, and only measured 5 feet in diameter.
Now, if you know anything about the New Year's ball we currently have perched in Times Square, you couldn't help but notice that it has undergone some drastic changes for the better since 1907. It was replaced for the first of several times in 1920.It remained the same size of 5 feet in diameter, but was made only of iron, and weighed around 400 pounds.That ball stayed in use until the 1950s, when it was replaced for a second time with a ball made of aluminum, making it weigh a slight 150 pounds.
The year 1995 brought some interesting changes.Rhinestone and strobe lights were added to the ball.This was also the first year that the ball was lowered with computer technology.
A new ball was designed for the new millenium-radically different from the old ones.
This new ball measured 6 feet in diameter, weighed over 1,000 pounds, was covered in over 500 Waterford Crystal triangles, and was illuminated with 600 bulbs (both internal and external) plus strobe lights and spinning mirrors.
One thing I hadn't known before today, but I think is really neat, is that many of these triangles on the New Millenium ball were inscribed with messages like "Hope for Fellowship," "Hope for Wisdom," "Hope for Unity," etc. The New Millenium ball was used for 7 years.
Then, for the 100th anniversary of the ball drop, yet another ball was made.This ball was 6 feet in diameter, weighs 1,212 pounds, and was lit with LED lights. This fifth Centennial ball was used for only one year (which seems a little extravagant/excessive to me, but what do I know?).
It was then replaced by the ball we will be using tomorrow night.The same design was kept, but it was enlarged so that the current ball sitting in Times Square as I type is 12 feet in diameter, weighs over 11,000 pounds, and has over 9,000 bulbs that light it.This new ball is so much bigger and heavier that the flag pole it sits on had to be rebuilt to support it.
The year 1995 brought some interesting changes.Rhinestone and strobe lights were added to the ball.This was also the first year that the ball was lowered with computer technology.
A new ball was designed for the new millenium-radically different from the old ones.
This new ball measured 6 feet in diameter, weighed over 1,000 pounds, was covered in over 500 Waterford Crystal triangles, and was illuminated with 600 bulbs (both internal and external) plus strobe lights and spinning mirrors.
One thing I hadn't known before today, but I think is really neat, is that many of these triangles on the New Millenium ball were inscribed with messages like "Hope for Fellowship," "Hope for Wisdom," "Hope for Unity," etc. The New Millenium ball was used for 7 years.
Then, for the 100th anniversary of the ball drop, yet another ball was made.This ball was 6 feet in diameter, weighs 1,212 pounds, and was lit with LED lights. This fifth Centennial ball was used for only one year (which seems a little extravagant/excessive to me, but what do I know?).
It was then replaced by the ball we will be using tomorrow night.The same design was kept, but it was enlarged so that the current ball sitting in Times Square as I type is 12 feet in diameter, weighs over 11,000 pounds, and has over 9,000 bulbs that light it.This new ball is so much bigger and heavier that the flag pole it sits on had to be rebuilt to support it.
"Should old acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot
And old lang syne?
For auld lang syne,my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne."
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot
And old lang syne?
For auld lang syne,my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne."
First verse and chorus to the song Auld Lang Syne, based off of a traditional Scottish poem.
The phrase "auld lang syne" translates to something along the lines of "old times," and is sung at many things that signify the ending of one chapter in life and the beginning of another, but is most widely known today for being sung at midnight on New Year's Eve.
Listen to the song here:
And, with that, I wish you a very safe and happy New Year's Eve tomorrow.
Celebrate it with people you love.
Here's to resolutions
hope for a new year
and hope that the New Year's Eve ball really doesn't get stuck halfway down the flagpole.
;)
Celebrate it with people you love.
Here's to resolutions
hope for a new year
and hope that the New Year's Eve ball really doesn't get stuck halfway down the flagpole.
;)
"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice."-T.S. Eliot
"Some people swear there's no beauty left in the world, no magic. Then how do you explain the whole world coming together to celebrate the hope of a new year?"-New Year's Eve, 2011
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