New Year's celebrations around the world

Updated 2:21 AM EST, Sat January 1, 2022

Jeenah Moon/AP
People gather in Times Square during the New Year's Eve celebrations in New York.

With the rapid spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, many cities across the world scaled back their New Year's celebrations.

In New York City, for example, the traditional event in Times Square allowed fewer revelers and everyone was required to wear a mask.

Some major cities canceled their events altogether, while others moved forward with their plans.

A man celebrates the start of the new year on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A man celebrates the start of the new year on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Bruna Prado/AP
Nurses at a hospital in Marseille, France, enjoy a New Year's cake while taking a break in a Covid-19 intensive care unit.
Nurses at a hospital in Marseille, France, enjoy a New Year's cake while taking a break in a Covid-19 intensive care unit.
Daniel Cole/AP
People observe candles lit to bring luck in the upcoming New Year at the Hasedera Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Japan, south of Tokyo.
People observe candles lit to bring luck in the upcoming New Year at the Hasedera Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Japan, south of Tokyo.
Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
Revelers celebrate in New York's Times Square.
Revelers celebrate in New York's Times Square.
Craig Ruttle/AP
People watch the light show by St. Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge in London.
People watch the light show by St. Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge in London.
Matt Dunham/AP
People gather to welcome the new year in Chongqing, China.
People gather to welcome the new year in Chongqing, China.
Li Xiaoxiang/VCG/Getty Images
People gather for celebrations in Belgrade, Serbia.
People gather for celebrations in Belgrade, Serbia.
Darko Vojinovic/AP
People celebrate on the Champs-Elysées Avenue in Paris. The city canceled its traditional fireworks display.
People celebrate on the Champs-Elysées Avenue in Paris. The city canceled its traditional fireworks display.
Thibault Camus/AP
People dressed for New Year's Eve ride a bus in Las Vegas.
People dressed for New Year's Eve ride a bus in Las Vegas.
L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/AP
A man holds a flare while celebrating in Krakow, Poland.
A man holds a flare while celebrating in Krakow, Poland.
Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto/Getty Images
People celebrate as police patrol the streets in Johannesburg, South Africa.
People celebrate as police patrol the streets in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Shiraaz Mohamed/AP
A garland with the slogan "Happy New Year" hangs at a vaccination center in Potsdam, Germany.
A garland with the slogan "Happy New Year" hangs at a vaccination center in Potsdam, Germany.
Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance/Getty Images
Fireworks explode over the the St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin with Red Square sitting empty due to pandemic restrictions during New Year's celebrations in Moscow.
Fireworks explode over the the St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin with Red Square sitting empty due to pandemic restrictions during New Year's celebrations in Moscow.
Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP
Clubgoers celebrate in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Clubgoers celebrate in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Valentin Flauraud/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
People in Bangkok, Thailand, lay down in coffins during a resurrection ceremony on New Year's Eve. The belief is that the worshippers will be cleansed of bad karma and blessed with good fortune and health in the new year.
People in Bangkok, Thailand, lay down in coffins during a resurrection ceremony on New Year's Eve. The belief is that the worshippers will be cleansed of bad karma and blessed with good fortune and health in the new year.
Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images
A man holds a child on his shoulders while waiting for the start of a fireworks show in Bucharest, Romania.
A man holds a child on his shoulders while waiting for the start of a fireworks show in Bucharest, Romania.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
Berlin has no live audience during its televised New Year's Eve display at the Brandenburg Gate.
Berlin has no live audience during its televised New Year's Eve display at the Brandenburg Gate.
Adam Berry/Getty Images
A New Year's performance is held on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea.
A New Year's performance is held on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Jon Chol Jin/AP
A man crosses an empty road near a Jakarta, Indonesia, roundabout where people usually celebrate New Year's Eve.
A man crosses an empty road near a Jakarta, Indonesia, roundabout where people usually celebrate New Year's Eve.
Willy Kumiawan/Reuters
Fireworks erupt at Expo 2020 as part of the New Year's festivities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Fireworks erupt at Expo 2020 as part of the New Year's festivities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
AFP/Getty Images
Doctors and nurses hold up signs at a hospital in Quezon, Philippines.
Doctors and nurses hold up signs at a hospital in Quezon, Philippines.
Francis R Malasig/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
People in Lisbon, Portugal, take pictures of fireworks in front of the docked German cruise ship AIDAnova.
People in Lisbon, Portugal, take pictures of fireworks in front of the docked German cruise ship AIDAnova.
Armando Franca/AP
A trader wears 2022 glasses while working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
A trader wears 2022 glasses while working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Images
People celebrate in Madrid, Spain.
People celebrate in Madrid, Spain.
Manu Fernandez/AP
The Eiffel Tower in Paris is lit up blue to mark the start of the French presidency of the European Union.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris is lit up blue to mark the start of the French presidency of the European Union.
Julien de Rossa/AFP/Getty Images
Fireworks erupt over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand.
Fireworks erupt over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand.
Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images
A sign urges revelers to "stay Covid safe" in Melbourne, Australia.
A sign urges revelers to "stay Covid safe" in Melbourne, Australia.
Diego Fedele/Getty Images
Balloon vendors walk back home as the sun sets in Jammu, India.
Balloon vendors walk back home as the sun sets in Jammu, India.
Channi Anand/AP
A light show illuminates the Sky Tower and Harbour Bridge in Auckland, New Zealand. The light show, "Auckland Is Calling," replaced the city's traditional fireworks show this year.
A light show illuminates the Sky Tower and Harbour Bridge in Auckland, New Zealand. The light show, "Auckland Is Calling," replaced the city's traditional fireworks show this year.
Dave Rowland/Getty Images for Auckland Unlimited
Primary school students in Hefei, China, celebrate the new year by writing the character "fu," which means "good luck."
Primary school students in Hefei, China, celebrate the new year by writing the character "fu," which means "good luck."
Ge Yinian/Costfoto/Future Publishing/Getty Images
People have dinner at a Beijing restaurant as a screen broadcasts Chinese President Xi Jinping delivering his New Year speech.
People have dinner at a Beijing restaurant as a screen broadcasts Chinese President Xi Jinping delivering his New Year speech.
Jade Gao/AFP/Getty Images
Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour during New Year's celebrations in Australia.
Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour during New Year's celebrations in Australia.
Jaimi Joy/Reuters
A visitor poses in front of a 2022 decoration in Seoul, South Korea.
A visitor poses in front of a 2022 decoration in Seoul, South Korea.
Lee Jin-man/AP
During the last sunset of 2021, Sikh devotees take a dip in the holy Sarovar near the Golden Temple shrine in Amritsar, India.
During the last sunset of 2021, Sikh devotees take a dip in the holy Sarovar near the Golden Temple shrine in Amritsar, India.
Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images