6 things you probably didn't know about New Year's Eve

Why does the New Year begin on January 1st? Because our contemporary (Gregorian) calendar is based on the Julian one (named after none other than the Ceasar) and he made January month numero uno (which is latin for "number one"). The first indication of a new year’s celebrations crop up around 2000 BC in the Middle East (“Mesopotamia"). At that time each year began on March 20th. The top three places in the U.S. to visit and celebrate New Year's Eve are Las Vegas, Disney World, and New York City. The biggest international celebration is in Sydney, Australia. This celebration includes more than 80,000 fireworks set off over Sydney Harbour Bridge. More than 360 million glasses of sparkling wine are consumed during the holiday season. The first Times Square ball drop was in 1904. The big bash commemorated the New York Times' move from headquarters at 41 Park Row to One Times Square.