Fireworks are used to celebrate the New Year around the world.

     In China, fireworks are used to drive away evil. Right after midnight on New Year’s Eve, fireworks are set off. It is believed that the person who launches the first firework of the New Year will have good luck.

     Dubai is hosting a fireworks display from Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. The event will also be live-broadcast on My Dubai New Year.com, offering visitors the choice between three camera angles. Fireworks by Grucci will feature a spectacular display at Atlantis, the Palm Hotel and Resort in Dubai. The company plans to spell “Atlantis” in the sky with fireworks. It will use the reflections of the fireworks in the water to enhance (增强) the display. One of their ideas is to create a shining red carpet, which will light up the sky as well as reflect in the water below.

     Berlin is celebrating the New Year with a festive open-air party at the Brandenburg Gate. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend. There will be an international program of live music, light and laser shows, and plenty of food and drink. The spectacular fireworks display starts at midnight on the dot.

     Finally, more than a million revelers (狂欢者) are expected at Times Square in New York on New Year’s Eve. They will take part in the 109-year-old tradition of watching the iconic ball drop from atop One Times Square. The famous ball is about 4 meters in diameter, or 12-feet wide, and weighs close to 5 ,443 kilograms, or 12 ,000 pounds. It shines because it is covered in 2 , 688 Waterford crystals (水晶) . At midnight, revelers will watch the sky above New York City ablaze (发光) with fireworks.

     Some cities will not be celebrating the New Year with fireworks. Belgium cancelled its traditional fireworks display in central Brussels due to fears of the continuing terror threats.