Time seems to travel on New Years Eve as fireworks and champagne roam hour by hour across the globe.
From East to West, here are the first and last places on Earth to ring in the New Year.
Where New Year (+each day) begins:Before the rest of the world even feels the final hours of December 31st, the New Year has already begun on Kiritimati (Christmas Island), part of the Republic of Kiribati.
Sitting just west of the International Date Line, the calendar flips nearly a full day ahead of places like American Samoa, this remote island is officially the first inhabited place on Earth to welcome the New Year.
What New Years is like on Kiritimati
Quietly historic and surrounded by nature. This remote island is known for it’s unspoiled beauty and world-class fishing. With a population of just over 5,000 Kiritimati welcomes in the New Year with festivities focused on the community, cultural feasts and music, and fireworks. Lagoons, palms, and open sky mark the moment.
There’s something grounding about knowing the New Year doesn’t arrive everywhere at once. It starts small, then ripples outward.
Where New Year (+each day) ends:
Tucked away in the South Pacific, American Samoa is widely recognized as the last inhabited place on Earth to welcome the New Year. When the rest of the world has already turned the page, American Samoa lingers in the final hours—almost a full day behind some Pacific neighbors.
How are Kiritmati and Baker Island so close but in completely different time zones?
Here, New Year’s Eve feels slower, softer, and more reflective. There are no massive countdown spectacles or global media attention. Instead, the celebration is intimate and grounded in community.
What New Years is like in American Samoa?
Naturally beautiful, rooted in culture, and a deep sense of community: Surrounded by palm trees, warm ocean air, and quiet beaches. Families gather for food, storytelling, and church-centered traditions. Samoan customs, respect for elders, and spiritual reflection shape the transition into the new year.
There’s something poetic about being last. It feels intentional—like the world has already spoken, and American Samoa listens before responding.
Very last place to close out the year:Even later than American Samoa are two tiny specks in the central Pacific: Baker Island and Howland Island. These remote U.S. territories are protected as wildlife refuges with coral reefs, seabirds and endless ocean horizons. There are no permanent residents and are rarely visited.
The humbling final seconds of the year passes in total silence—no celebration, no acknowledgment—just the rhythm of the Earth continuing on.
In a world obsessed with firsts, there’s luxury in being last. A time to reflect before moving forward and honoring time instead of racing it.
Bringing this energy into your New Year.Create your own quiet reflection moment at home:
Turn off the noise early on New Year’s Eve
Reflect before you resolve
Light a candle and journal or read a good book instead of watching the countdown
Let the year close gently, not abruptly
