Back here in the States, where the country was still mourning the recent death of President Franklin Roosevelt the news was marked by church bells and cheers.
It has, however been late on occasion. In 1962 snow accumulation caused the clock to ring in the new year ten minutes late and in 1976 the clock stopped when a piece of its machinery broke.
In Spain, we celebrate by eating the traditional 12 lucky grapes, while we watch on TV the broadcast of the 12 strokes from the Puerta del Sol in Madrid.