New Year's Eve in the Gregorian calendar refers to the evening—or commonly the entire day—of the last day of the year: 31 December (also known as Old Year's Day). In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinking, and watching or lighting fireworks. Many Christians attend a watchnight service to mark the occasion. New Year's Eve celebrations generally continue into New Year's Day, 1 January, past midnight. In the United States, New Year's Eve is celebrated via a variety of social gatherings, and large-scale public events such as concerts, fireworks shows, and "drops"—an event inspired by time balls where an item is lowered or raised over the course of the final minute of the year. Drop events are typically patterned after the annual "ball drop" held at New York City's Times Square, where an illuminated ball is lowered down a 21-metre-high (70 ft) pole on the roof of One Times Square. The event has been held since 1907; the ball itself—which is adorned with Waterford Crystal panels and an LED lighting system—has been displayed atop the building year-round since 2008. Drop events often use either a ball in imitation of Times Square, or items that represent local culture or history (such as Atlanta's Peach Drop, which reflects Georgia's identity as the "Peach State"). In Miami, major celebrations are centered around the downtown core, including the raising of the "Big Orange" on the side of the InterContinental Miami hotel, and concerts at Bayfront Park. Major theme parks also hold New Year's celebrations. Disney and Universal theme parks, such as Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando in Orlando, Florida; as well as Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood in California, are traditionally the busiest around the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
