KALAMAZOO (WKZO) — Champagne parties and New Year Kisses have been around a very long time. Ball-drops are becoming a regular feature of local New Year’s events.
Grand Haven dropped their first ball this year.
A number of communities hold “First Night” celebrations that are similar to Kalamazoo’s New Year’s fest, featuring family friendly entertainment, as a non-alcoholic alternative.
There are also some unusual ones. In Romania, they dress is scary looking bear skins with red tassels and dance to scare off evil spirits.
In Switzerland, it’s a tradition to drop a bit of whipped cream on the kitchen floor to guarantee abundance in the coming year.
In Brasstown, North Carolina, they put a live opossum in a glass box and slowly lower the box on a rope to the ground as the seconds tick off the old year. This year they had to convince a Judge that the animal isn’t harmed in anyway, after PETA challenged the annual event.
In Green Bay this year, they had a llama run across one of the main bridges in the city, hoping the “Lucky Llama” will bring good luck to the city in 2016.
