Countdown to the New Year

Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong on January 1, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

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As the bell strikes the last minute of this year, people from all over the world will usher in the new year in a multitude of ways with a core emphasis on sending cherished wishes to near and dear ones.

Chen Lu, a 54-year-old from Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, is planning to usher in 2019 with his family at the Harbin Ice and Snow World, an ice and snow tourist and cultural theme park in northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

"New year holidays were never special to me earlier. It was just a few days without work. Even my family used to look forward to the Spring Festival holidays. But all of that changed some five years ago and since then we have been cherishing the rich experiences gauged from these holidays." he said.

"This year we decided to go to Harbin as it was my daughter's suggestion. I think it will be a totally different experience as winter and snow gels more with the new year countdown than the summer-like Guangzhou," he said with a smile. "We are looking forward to the dawn of Jan 1 with great excitement."

The New Year's Day, observed on Jan 1, is probably the world's most celebrated public holiday. Unlike the close-knit family occasions that mark Chinese festivals like Spring Festival, there is more fun and frolic associated with the New Year's Eve. Observing events such as the fireworks show, dancing performances and countdowns usually go well past the night onto the New Year's Day.

Tourists visit the Harbin Ice and Snow World, a theme park in northeast China's Heilongjiang province, in December. [Photo/Xinhua]

Carnival in snow

The theme park, in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province with snow sceneries and ice sculptures, will host events on New Year's Eve to provide visitors with everlasting memories, according to Xu Bing, marketing director of Harbin Ice and Snow World.

According to Xu, a rock concert and a breath-taking 3D-mapping show will be held at the park to coincide with the carnival on Dec 31. The climax would be a giant bell that would ring in the new year.

The snow world, according to Xu, was built to welcome the Millennium by the local government in 1999. "Grand firework shows and carnivals were held then for celebrations," she said. "That was the original form of new year countdown events.

"Harbin is growing into one of the most popular destinations for tourists enjoying snow scenery and winter sports, and we share the responsibility to bring more events to mark the new year," she said. "Last year, we had about 58,000 people celebrating the new year at the park."

A countdown party will also be held at the park, according to a post on its official website.

The party, themed on winter sports, will include shows performed by Russian singer Dima Bilan and figure skater Yuliya Lipnickaya.

Chen from Guangzhou said: "This is the first time that my family－my wife and 23-year-old daughter－is welcoming the new year at the beautiful snow world. It is like a fairy tale and will be memorable to us."

The snow world, which opened on Dec 23 this year, has an admission fee of 330 yuan ($50) per visit. Tickets for countdown shows at the park are sold for 160 yuan per visit and allows visitors to check in after 10 pm on New Year's Eve.