At midnight on December 31, 2024, New Zealand became one of the first places in the world to ring in 2025, being seven hours ahead of most countries. A video showing the stunning fireworks display in Auckland has quickly gained popularity on social media.
Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, featured the iconic Sky Tower as the focal point of the celebration. Thousands of people gathered at the waterfront, cheering and singing as the sky lit up with colorful fireworks.
The first country to celebrate New Year 2025 will be Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the Republic of Kiribati, which will welcome the new year at 5:00 AM EST (3:30 PM IST) on December 31, 2024. Following closely behind, the Chatham Islands of New Zealand will celebrate at 5:15 AM EST (3:45 PM IST), and then the main part of New Zealand, including cities like Auckland and Wellington, will join in at 6:00 AM EST (4:30 PM IST)