As midnight strikes in different time zones, countries around the world welcome the New Year.

Kiritimati, an atoll in the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati, became the first to enter 2026. One visitor there told us he marked it as “on a beach with no satellites, no signs of human life, complete darkness and countless crabs.”

New Zealand followed suit, welcoming the New Year with fireworks in Auckland.

Australia then lights up the sky above the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge.

In Sydney, celebrations were tempered by sadness as the nation reflected on the December 14 Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people.

At 23:00 local time, Sydney Harbor fell into silence for a minute as crowds held up lights to mourn the Bundy victims. Menorahs are projected onto the pylons of the Harbor Bridge.

In other parts of the world, countries celebrate the upcoming New Year with their own traditions.

Clothed and unclothed revelers took part in traditional sea bathing on a nude beach in Cap d’Agde in southern France to celebrate the New Year.

Swimmers at the Islands Brygge Harbor Bath in Copenhagen, Denmark, also braved the frigid waters for a traditional splashing activity known as “Nytaarsbad.”

In Omen, the Netherlands, local residents watched the annual calcium carbide shooting – a New Year’s Eve tradition that turns milk jugs into cannons.

In Osaka, Japan, young women dressed in traditional kimonos participate in a Shinto ceremonial procession at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, one of Japan’s oldest shrines, to celebrate the end of the year.

Krakow, Poland Colorful runners brave the December air for the traditional Krakow New Year’s Run in the Old Town.

In Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, adults and children perform traditional dances to release the sunshine of 2025 and welcome the sunshine of 2026.