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Robin Utrecht / EPA
Revelers dive collectively into the North Sea during the Nieuwjaarsduik, or New Year's dive in English, on New Year's Day in Scheveningen, in the Netherlands,on Jan.1, 2013.
David Moir / Reuters
Swimmers in fancy dress take to the water to participate in the New Year's Day Looney Dook swim at South Queensferry in Scotland Jan. 1, 2013.
Philippe Huguen / AFP - Getty Images
People take part in a traditional sea bath during the New Year's celebrations on January 1, 2013 at Malo-Les-Bains beach in Dunkirk, northern France.
Jean-christophe Bott / EPA
Revelers hold glasses of champagne while swimming in the chilly water during the annual swim in Lake Geneva, Switzerland, on New Year's day on Jan. 1, 2013.
David Moir / Reuters
A swimmer with his face painted as the flag of Scotland, reacts as he sits in the water during the New Year's Day Looney Dook swim at South Queensferry in Scotland Jan. 1, 2013.
Andrew Kelly / Reuters
A man dressed as a penguin enters the water while taking part in the Coney Island Polar Bear Club's annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Swim in New York's Coney Island Jan. 1, 2013. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club is the oldest winter bathing organization in the U.S and every New Years Day holds the winter plunge which attracts thousands of participants.
Damian Shaw / EPA
From Sydney to Siberia, revelers celebrate the arrival of a new year.
By Isolde Raftery, NBC News
As the blinking Waterford crystal ball dropped over Times Square at midnight, ushering in the new year, a peach dropped in Atlanta and an 80-pound MoonPie prepared to drop in Mobile, Ala. Noisemakers sounded, kissers kissed and those who knew the words sang, “Auld Lang Syne” and Frank Sinatra's version of "New York, New York."
Come morning, a brave few will strip down to their skivvies and run into nearby oceans and lakes for an invigorating polar bear dip. This, they say, in the name of resolution and renewal.
Happy New Year, America. Welcome to 2013. Click here to read more on this story.
People around the world kick off 2013 with a swim, dive or quick dip into icy waters. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Leave a Comment:
Can you say "Significant Shrinkage". Happy New Year.
C'mon, all these watering holes looked like heated spas! Show us some Polar Bear Club pictures from the Great Lakes with lots of snow around! Now that's COLD!
Many years, the Chicago Polar Bear Club had to chip away openings between the huge blocks of Ice that lined the shore, at times including the Lake Shore Drive, which was thickly covered in Ice. Now That's real Ice dipping. None of this mild, pleasant weather, somewhat akin to the 'Medieval Warm Period', that we are seemingly struggling toward, but still far from.... Re-entering.
Never understood the fascination with New Years. Just another night.
Burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!
stupid
That's awesome. Good picture of the Americans. I mean...everyone in it is completely obese. I hope dieting is many of their New Year's resolutions.
Looks like a bunch of Walmart shopper partying together.
Looks like the americans are the most over weight.
On New Years Day the Dolphin club in San Francisco sponsors a SWIM from Alcatraz Island to SF. It is roughly 1.2 miles as the crow flies but most swim farther due to the currents (over an hour in the water is not unusual). It is an athletic event, Not a stunt like these other polar bear swims. By the way no wetsuits allowed , however the water is a toasty high 40s F.