In Los Angeles, the event marks 9 p.m. on New Years Eve, and for people living in Hawaii or some U.S. territories, the timing is even farther removed from the start of the new year. People in Guam will have been in 2025 for over half a day when the ball drops.

The ritual of watching a dazzling ball descend from a pole in Times Square has taken place since the early 20th century, when electricity use was so new it seemed like magic.