Where To Celebrate New Year's Eve And Ring In 2025 In Pearl River

PEARL RIVER, NY — Rockland County is always a happening place on New Year's Eve and much less of a headache than heading to NYC to celebrate.

Here is a look at some of the events happening on Dec. 31 in Pearl River and throughout Rockland County:

• Defiant New Year's Eve Bash, Defiant Brewing Company, Pearl River
• New Year's Eve at the Pearl River Saloon, Pearl River
• Hotel Nyack is hosting its annual party with a 007 James Bond theme this year. Dress to impress. Eat dinner first or hit the party only in the Ballroom from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Find tickets here.
• New Year's Eve at Dave & Buster's, West Nyack
• New Year's Eve at Banchetto, Nanuet
• New Year's Eve at La Terrazza, New City
• New Year's Eve at El Toro Steakhouse, Congers
• New Year's Eve at Break Point Bowl & Entertainment, West Haverstaw
• Vintage Vegas New Year's Eve, Hudson Mill's Tavern, West Haverstraw
• New Year's Eve at UNION Restaurant and Bar Latino, Haverstraw
• Rhino Comedy New Year's Celebration, Suffern

In the United States, one of the most popular New Year’s Eve traditions is the dropping of the giant ball in Times Square. Other cities have their own versions of this celebration, such as the Peeps Chick Drop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the giant Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho.

The transition from one year to the next is often marked by the singing of "Auld Lang Syne," a Scottish folk song with a title that roughly translates to "days gone by," according to Encyclopedia Britannica and History.com. The tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates back 8,000 years to ancient Babylonians, who made promises to return borrowed items and repay debts at the beginning of the new year, which was in mid-March when they planted their crops.

• Related: What New Year’s Resolution Did You Keep? How Did You Do It? [Patch Survey]

According to legend, if people kept their word, the pagan gods would grant them favor in the coming year. However, if they broke their promises, they would lose favor with the gods. Many secular New Year's resolutions focus on imagining new, improved versions of ourselves.

The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is about 80 percent, according to U.S. News & World Report. There are many reasons, but a big one is they're made out of remorse — for gaining weight, for example — and aren’t accompanied by a shift in attitude or a plan for coping with the stress and discomfort that comes with changing a habit or condition.