Security was at an all-time high after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds, including one in Times Square itself last spring. In a prime viewing spot near 42nd Street, Alexander Ebrahim grinned as he looked around at the flashing lights of Times Square. He made it to Times Square at 8 a.m. and waited all day in front of the ball. The dazzling finale of the show will be the traditional drop of a Waterford Crystal ball down a pole atop One Times Square. When the first ball drop happened in 1907, it was made of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs.

Source: ABC News December 31, 2017 14:13 UTC