* "Auld Lang Syne" was at least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's and first published in 1796 after his death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition.
* An old Scotch tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days."
* Celebrating the new year is the oldest of all holidays and was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4,000 years ago.
* Originally, the new year was celebrated after the first day of spring. The Romans continued to observe the new year in late March, but since their calendar was continually tampered by emperors the senate voted in 153 BC to declare January 1 as the beginning of the new year.
* Using a baby to signify the new year began in Greece around 600 BC. At the time, you could celebrate Dionysus, the god of wine, by parading a baby in a basket to represent the annual rebirth of the god.
* The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.
* In 1904 the first rooftop celebration atop One Times Square, complete with a fireworks display, took place produced by The New York Times to inaugurate its new headquarters.
* The first Ball Lowering celebration at One Times Square was held on December 31, 1907 and is now seen via satellite by more than one billion people worldwide each year.
* The original New Year's Eve Ball weighed 700 pounds and was 5 feet in diameter. It was made of iron and wood and was decorated with 100 25-watt light bulbs.
* In many parts of U.S. it is tradition to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's which have been considered good luck in many cultures. Cabbage is another "good luck" vegetable as it is a sign of prosperity and paper currency.
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