New Year Countdown
The new year begins at midnight on January 1, and this countdown ticks to your local midnight to ring in 2027, wherever you are. Fireworks in Sydney, the ball drop in Times Square, grapes in Madrid: one moment, celebrated around the planet for 24 straight hours.
How many days until New Year Countdown?
New Year Countdown is on Friday, January 1, 2027, which is 174 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.
Why January 1?
January is named for Janus, the Roman god of beginnings who looks both backward and forward. Julius Caesar fixed January 1 as the year's start in 45 BC, and the Gregorian calendar carried it worldwide.
Midnight traditions
The Times Square ball has dropped since 1907 (originally made of iron and wood with 100 light bulbs). Spaniards eat twelve grapes at the twelve strokes of midnight; Danes smash plates on friends' doorsteps; Japan rings temple bells 108 times.
Quick facts
- January 1 became New Year's Day under Julius Caesar in 45 BC
- The Times Square ball first dropped in 1907
- Sydney's fireworks reach a global TV audience of over a billion
- “Auld Lang Syne” is a Robert Burns poem from 1788
A U.S. federal holiday
New Year Countdown is one of the 11 official U.S. federal holidays. Not sure which one comes next? The next federal holiday countdown always ticks down to whichever is soonest — and the next long weekend countdown tells you when you're off work for 3 days straight.
Ring it in right
Party supplies for midnight — and a little mercy for the morning after.
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New Year Countdown — frequently asked questions
When is New Year Countdown?
New Year Countdown is on Friday, January 1, 2027.
How many days until New Year Countdown?
New Year Countdown is on Friday, January 1, 2027, which is 174 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.
Fact-checked & updated July 2026 · alarm-clock.org