That Happy New Year text on WhatsApp could empty your bank account

As the clock strikes midnight in Times Square, revelers welcoming 2026 will be treated to more than the traditional New Year's celebration. Red, white, and blue confetti will cascade through the crowd to mark the start of America's 250th anniversary. The specialmoment will kick off the nation's semiquincentennial, commemorating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as reported by ABC.

Times Square's New Year's celebration for 2026 includes red, white, and blue confetti to honor America's 250th anniversary. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz(REUTERS)

The chair of America250, Rosie Rios, previously told Good Morning America, “What better way to ring in 2026 with the iconic global countdown in Times Square.”