Photos: 2014 New Year’s celebrations around the world

Chinese folk artists take part in the Great Wall celebration.  (Lintao Zhang / Getty Images)

A light show illuminates the Great Wall during the countdown to 2014.  (Wang Zhao / AFP/Getty Images)

Look how far this performance stretches into the night! Let’s look at how other parts of the world are ringing in 2014:   (Wang Zhao / AFP/Getty Images)

Fireworks light up the sky over the capital of the Philippines.   (Bullit Marquez / Associated Press)

A new event -- the first-ever ball drop at Hotel Lebua at State Tower in Bangkok -- claims to be the world’s highest New Year’s Eve ball drop.  (Luke Duggleby / Associated Press for lebua Hotels)

Fireworks above Kandawgyee Lake.  (Lynn Bo Bo / EPA)

Thousands celebrate at the Jakarta Night Festival.  (Bagus Inahono / EPA)

Indonesian military members prepare to release lanterns into the sky above Bintan Island to mark the arrival of the new year.  (Yuli Seperi / Getty Images)

Fireworks launch from the landmark Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei.  (Wally Santana / Associated Press)

Another look at that spectacular display in Taipei.  (Wally Santana / Associated Press)

This is a custom that has world-wide popularity: Nothing says “Happy New Year” like funky glasses.   (Herbert Neubauer / EPA)

See what we mean? Revelers prepare to watch the ball drop on Times Square.  (Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images)

Thousands gather at an open-air party in front of the Brandenburg Gate.   (Ole Spata / EPA)

Fireworks go off over Marina Bay.  (How Hwee Young / EPA)

People gather to release balloons to celebrate the New Year during an annual countdown ceremony.  (Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP/Getty Images)

Thousands of balloons -- carrying wishes for the new year -- are released as 2014 begins.   (Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP/Getty Images)

New Year’s fireworks explode over Victoria Harbor.  (Kin Cheung / Associated Press)

Another look at those Hong Kong fireworks ...  (Kin Cheung / Associated Press)

Buddhists attend New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Bongeun temple in Seoul.  (Ahn Young-joon / Associated Press)

Now we know what Santa does after Christmas: Dole out chocolates to people enjoying their last sea bath of the year in Dinard, western France.  (Damien Meyer / AFP/Getty Images)

This is one New Year’s Eve tradition that needs explaining: It seems that in Uruguay, splashing passers by with water is a way to ring out the old year, in preparation for the new. Here, a cyclist in downtown Montevideo is drenched.   (Miguel Rojo / AFP/Getty Images)

Here, a pedestrian is doused.   (Ivan Franco / EPA)

Fireworks explode over Sydney’s landmark Harbor Bridge.   (Greg Wood / AFP/Getty Images)

New Year’s Eve fireworks erupt over Sydney’s iconic Opera House.   (Greg Wood / AFP/Getty Images)

Thousands line the banks of the Yarra River to watch the fireworks explode over the Melbourne Cricket Ground.  (Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images)

Fireworks over the Melbourne skyline and the Yarra River.  (Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images)