The first countries to celebrate New Year are Samoa, Tonga and part of Kiribati. In the Pacific Islands, they are the first in the world to usher in 2021. After that, the residents of New Zealand follow. In Sydney, the fireworks exploded on Thursday evening as traditionally above the famous opera house and in New York Times Square was empty. The whole world celebrated New Year under the oppressive shadow of the corona virus. 

In Eindhoven it kept popping left and right after midnight, but more attention was paid to the wish balloons that went up en masse. Behind every balloon that took off, always a wish for personal happiness or a sign of a previous drama that took place in the past year. Collective festivities were minimal worldwide. It was a New Year's Eve like never before in which 1,7 million people were killed and 82 million people infected.

Also in China, the big annual light show in the capital Beijing was canceled and Emperor Naruhito canceled the traditional New Year event in Japan. Earlier in the day, our eastern neighbors recorded a new record number of infections and the corona rules were therefore very strictly applied. Angela Merkel's New Year's message, also her last as chancellor of the country, did not sound very encouraging earlier in the evening. The traditional fireworks show was also canceled in Paris. 

In London's Trafalgar Square barriers to keep revelers away. In the United Kingdom there was no question of a party atmosphere at all. In Italy, Pope Francis therefore canceled plans for Eucharistic celebrations. Also in the country with the highest death toll by Covid-19, bars, restaurants and shops were closed on Thursday. Putin had to admit that Russia is facing a second wave these days.

Our editorial team wishes everyone a beautiful and healthy New Year!

Also read: Traveling and holidays in the new year remains quite difficult