New York City's Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop resumed in 1944 after the World War II blackout.
The public illuminated ball drop was suspended for the New Year's celebrations welcoming 1943 and 1944 because wartime blackout rules limited unnecessary lighting and helped protect cities from possible attack. Times Square still held crowds and midnight observances, but the famous glowing descent did not occur.
The ball drop returned for the celebration welcoming 1945, held on December 31, 1944. This date is often confused with the years 1942 and 1943 because those are the years commonly listed as the wartime interruptions. The key distinction is that the event held on December 31, 1944, marked the resumption.
The tradition continued after the war and later expanded into the global media event known today. The ball itself has changed repeatedly in size, materials, and lighting technology, while the midnight countdown has remained the ceremony's central feature.