In New York City’s New Year’s Eve celebration, the confetti pieces traditionally released over Times Square are made from paper.
Confetti consists of small pieces or streamers of paper thrown or dropped during celebrations. In Times Square, the pieces are designed to be lightweight so that wind can carry them across the crowd and surrounding streets. Modern celebrations may also use biodegradable paper products and other approved materials.
The tradition grew from New York newspaper-publishing culture. In 1886, the owner of the New York World reportedly used shredded paper at a party, helping popularize paper confetti in the city. Times Square’s organized New Year celebration later made airborne confetti one of its most recognizable images.
Confetti is different from ticker tape, although the terms are often mixed up. Ticker tape originally referred to strips of paper from stock-market machines; modern ticker-tape parades use cut paper strips, while New Year confetti is released as part of the countdown celebration.