As midnight struck in different time zones, nations worldwide welcomed the New Year 2026 in their own special ways. Kiritimati, an island in Kiribati, was the first place to enter 2026. One tourist there said he marked it “on a beach with no satellites, no signs of human life, complete darkness and countless crabs.” New Zealand soon followed, lighting up Auckland's sky with fireworks. Australia celebrated next, with spectacular displays over the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. In Sydney, celebrations were mixed with sorrow. The nation remembered the December 14 Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people. At 11 pm local time, Sydney Harbour fell silent for a minute. Crowds held lights to honor the victims. A Jewish menorah was projected onto the Harbour Bridge pylons. Elsewhere, traditions added color to the New Year. In Le Cap d'Agde, France, people both clothed and unclothed took a sea dip at a nudist beach to celebrate. In Copenhagen, Denmark, swimmers braved icy waters at the Islands Brygge Harbour Bath in the Nytaarsbad tradition. In the Netherlands, residents in Ommen watched carbide shooting, an old custom that turns milk cans into cannons. Japan saw young women in kimono taking part in a Shinto ritual procession at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine to mark the year's end. In Poland, runners braved cold air in Krakow’s Old Town during the annual Krakow New Year's Run. Back in Indonesia, adults and children performed a traditional dance in Denpasar, Bali, to say goodbye to 2025 and welcome 2026.