For many people in the west, New Year's Eve is the biggest party of the year.
It's time to get together with friends or family and welcome in the coming year.
New Year's parties can take place in different places.
Some people hold a house party; others attend street parties, while some just go for a few drinks with their friends.
Big cities have large and spectacular fireworks displays.
There is one thing that all New Year's Eve have in common -- the countdown to midnight.
When the clock strikes 12, people give a loud cheer and sing songs.
It's also popular to make a promise in the New Year.
This is called a New Year's resolution.
Typical resolutions include giving up smoking and keeping fit.
However, the promise is often broken quite quickly and people are back into their bad habits within weeks or days.
