Impress your family and friends with this New Year's trivia.
- According to statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, more vehicles are stolen on New Year's Day than on any other holiday throughout the year.
- The Time Square New Year's Eve Ball came about as a result of a ban on fireworks. The first ball, in 1907, was an illuminated 700-pound iron and wood ball adorned with one hundred 25-watt light bulbs. Today, the round ball designed by Waterford Crystal, weighs 11,875-pounds, is 12 feet in diameter and is bedazzled with 2,668 Waterford crystals.
- The top three destinations in the United States to ring in the New Year are Las Vegas, Disney World and New York City.
- Food plays a big role in New Year's traditions. Eating black-eyed peas, ham or cabbage are thought to bring prosperity. But lobsters are unlucky because they move backwards. Same for chickens which scratch in reverse. Eating these on New Year's day might cause a reversal of fortune.
- According to this survey, 40 to 45 percent of American adults make one or more resolutions each year. The top New Year's resolutions include weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking and better money management. By the second week of January, 25 percent of people have abandoned their resolutions.
Share your New Year's plans, superstitions or resolutions in the comments below.
