WOW..........New Year 2019: New Zealand, Australia, Japan welcome the New Year with pomp and fireworks – See pics, videos

Auckland/Sydney:  Even as we wait for the clock to strike midnight to welcome 2019, some of the countries have already ushered in the New Year.  New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, South Korea, Japan and parts of Russia welcomed 2019 with magnificent fireworks and joyous celebrations.
 In New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland, thousands of revellers gathered to ring in the New Year around Sky Tower, with spectacular fireworks bursting from the top of the 1,076-foot building.
In fact, authorities have allowed partygoers in Auckland to make as much noise as they want as the cops have promised not to attend to any noise complaints during those particular hours. Meanwhile, parts of Australia, including Sydney, also celebrated the New Year, with revellers witnessing a magnificent show of fireworks at the Opera House. 
Revellers did not let the thunderstorms in the evening dampen their spirits as thousands flocked to witness the dazzling show of fireworks at the harbour in Sydney. Notably, Samoa has the distinction of being the first country to welcome New Year 2019.  What’s more interesting is that American Samoa, which is merely an hour’s flight away from Samoa, will ring in the New Year almost 12 hours later due to the time difference.

(Fireworks display at The Opera House in Sydney on January 1, 2019. Pic credit: AP)

(Fireworks display at Sky Tower in Auckland on January 1, 2019. Pic credit: AP)

Revellers did not let the thunderstorms in the evening dampen their spirits as thousands flocked to witness the dazzling show of fireworks at the harbour in Sydney. Notably, Samoa has the distinction of being the first country to welcome New Year 2019.  What’s more interesting is that American Samoa, which is merely an hour’s flight away from Samoa, will ring in the New Year almost 12 hours later due to the time difference.

(Fireworks display at The Opera House in Sydney on January 1, 2019. Pic credit: AP)

(Fireworks display at Sky Tower in Auckland on January 1, 2019. Pic credit: AP)

On the other hand, small parts of Russia also celebrated the New Year, with actors and dancers participating in the festivities, dressed as characters such as Father Frost and Snow Maiden, The Telegraph reported. Meanwhile, revellers in Tokyo took to social media to post photographs and videos of fireworks displays and celebrations as the island nation welcomed the New Year.