New Year's celebrations around the world
(newsphoto/Xinhua/Reuters/AP)
Updated: 2005-12-31 15:01

A vendor checks Mandarin oranges during preparations for the upcoming Chinese New Year at a flower market in Hong Kong's Victoria Park in this file photo of Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2004. While the Gregorian calendar (Jan. 1-Dec. 31) is a mainstay of the West and in use for business around the globe, there are plenty of ways of marking the passage of a year's time. Depending on the culture, New Year's Day can be practically any time of year. [AP Photo]