Why do we drop a ball on New Year’s Eve? The Times Square tradition, explained

Revelers celebrate the new year on Jan. 1, 1942, in Times Square. Its New Year

Watching a huge ball descend down a pole in Times Square has been a beloved New Year’s Eve tradition for over a century. Here’s how the spectacle started and what’s changed over the years.

(Image credit: Matty Zimmerman)

Watching a huge ball descend down a pole in Times Square has been a beloved New Year’s Eve tradition for over a century. Here’s how the spectacle started and what’s changed over the years.