(NewsNation Now) — New Year’s Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited jubilance, felt for many like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filing hospitals.
In the United States, cities took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling crowds back in New York and yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip.
While Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, has urged caution and to avoid large gatherings, many are celebrating optimism for the new year.
Still, several of the world’s biggest cities held dazzling light shows and people found ways to celebrate. Here’s what it looked like in and around the world.
New York City
The annual New Year’s Eve ball drop in New York City’s Times Square took place in front of a scaled-back crowd.
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 31: The New Year’s Eve ball drops in Times Square on December 31, 2021 in New York City. Despite record numbers of COVID-19 cases across the city and nationwide, New York City is moving forward with New Years Eve celebrations. On average, about one million revelers are drawn to the Times Square to watch performances and celebrate. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) 
People gather during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square in New York City on December 31, 2021. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images) 
Fireworks go off one hour before midnight during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square in New York City on December 31, 2021. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images) 
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 31: Revelers at Times Square wait for the midnight ball drop during the New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31, 2021 in New York City. Despite record numbers of COVID-19 cases across the city and nationwide, New York City is moving forward with New Years Eve celebrations. On average, about one million revelers are drawn to the Times Square to watch performances and celebrate. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 31: Journey performs onstage during the Times Square New Year’s Eve 2022 Celebration on December 31, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Sydney, Australia
Thousands of fireworks lit up Sydney Harbour during New Year’s Eve celebrations on Jan. 1, 2022. However, crowds were smaller than in pre-pandemic years.
The above footage, recorded by Storyful journalist Kate Tan, shows people counting down and cheering in 2022 as the fireworks go off.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai entered 2022 with a fireworks display at the Burj Khalifa and in other central areas.
London, England
The United Kingdom is dealing with a surge in COVID-19 cases but still set off a big display.
This video, recorded near the London Stadium, shows fireworks at midnight. A larger celebration with pyrotechnics was organized in the center of the city.
Paris, France
Large crowds showed up near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on New Year’s Eve despite the cancellation of an official fireworks display amid surging COVID-19 cases.
This video, taken across the Seine River, shows the Eiffel Tower sparkling as locals shouted and honked their horns in celebration of the start of 2022.
Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland’s Harbour Bridge, Sky Tower and War Memorial Museum were lit up to celebrate the arrival of the new year. The usual fireworks display was canceled due to the pandemic.
This video, posted on Twitter by Eden Jahnke shortly after midnight, shows colors dancing across the city’s Sky Tower, which usually hosts the fireworks event.
BERLIN, GERMANY – DECEMBER 31: Televised-only New Year’s Eve celebrations are held near the Brandenburg Gate on December 31, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. The German capital’s kickoff of the New Year, as in the previous instance, was a more toned-down affair than the one traditionally held, with no public audience allowed for its stage show and fireworks, the latter planned as a much smaller version than usual to avoid attracting non-socially-distanced crowds. A broadcast-only edition replaced the larger party, which usually attracts around 60,000 visitors, due to restrictions amidst the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images) 
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 01: Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney Harbour as the clock strikes midnight on January 01, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. New Year’s Eve celebrations continue to be somewhat different as some COVID-19 restrictions remain in place due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. There were 21,151 news cases of COVID-19 recorded in New South Wales on the final day of 2021, setting a new record for the Australia’s most populous state (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) 
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 01: A laser and fireworks show is seen on the Millennium Bridge as the New Year is seen in, on January 01, 2022 in London, England. The countries that make up the UK have differing covid measures in place over the festive period. In Scotland, a maximum of 500 people can attend outdoor events where physical distancing of one metre is in place meaning the traditional Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations have been canceled. The rule-of-six in regulated premises, such as bars, restaurants, cinemas and theatres, was reintroduced in Wales on Boxing Day along with the closure of nightclubs. In England, the government has not introduced any new measures. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) 
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 01: An office building displays “2022” as the New Year is seen in, on January 01, 2022 in London, England. The countries that make up the UK have differing covid measures in place over the festive period. In Scotland, a maximum of 500 people can attend outdoor events where physical distancing of one metre is in place meaning the traditional Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations have been canceled. The rule-of-six in regulated premises, such as bars, restaurants, cinemas and theatres, was reintroduced in Wales on Boxing Day along with the closure of nightclubs. In England, the government has not introduced any new measures. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) 
Attendees at an event that coincided with the New Year Eve cheer as fake snow from a foam machine is blown overhead in Beijing, China, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) 
People celebrate during a New Year’s Eve concert in Hong Kong Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) 
Workers of a political party and others cheer in front of a huge kite to welcome 2022 on New Year’s Eve in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) 
Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) 
A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Year’s Eve gathering Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Year’s eve. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato) 
Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as New Year’s Eve celebrations begin in Sydney, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP) 
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – January 01: Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Year’s Eve celebrations on January 01, 2022 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images) 
Christopher Munoz and Nirvana Contreras kiss during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon) 
Fireworks go off one hour before midnight during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square in New York City on December 31, 2021. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images) 
People gather during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square in New York City on December 31, 2021. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images) 
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 31: Revelers at Times Square wait for the midnight ball drop during the New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31, 2021 in New York City. Despite record numbers of COVID-19 cases across the city and nationwide, New York City is moving forward with New Years Eve celebrations. On average, about one million revelers are drawn to the Times Square to watch performances and celebrate. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 31: Journey performs onstage during the Times Square New Year’s Eve 2022 Celebration on December 31, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
The Associated Press and Storyful contributed to this report.
