As we bid farewell to 2021, a year that may not have been spectacular but hopefully slightly better than its predecessor, 2020, all eyes turn to the hope of a return to normalcy in 2022. Before we venture into the new year, there’s a longstanding tradition to honor. New Year’s Eve approaches fast, marking the time for the iconic disco ball to descend slowly.
This year, the ball will once again drop in Times Square, NYC. Each year, the ball undergoes a makeover to maintain its sparkle, and for this year, it received a fresh array of stunning crystals courtesy of Irish company Waterford.
Jeffrey Strauss, president of Countdown Entertainment, mentioned to CNN, “We’re here today replacing 192 of the Waterford crystal triangles on that ball behind me with a new design, ‘the Gift of Wisdom.’ It’s represented by a wheel with these petals of knowledge growing ever forward.”
Due to the ongoing unique circumstances we find ourselves in, this New Year’s Eve celebration will be scaled down, with only 15,000 spectators allowed to attend in person for pandemic safety reasons, urging others to watch from the comfort of their homes. Nonetheless, it remains a grand entertainment spectacle with performances by KT Tunstall, LL Cool J, Journey, and Chloe.
Strauss added, “We’re going to have more than a billion revelers around the world joining us on TV and on the internet celebrating. It’s the one moment where we all come together, even if it’s just for 60 seconds as we count down towards 2022.”
