Confetti became associated with Times Square New Year’s Eve celebrations after 1932.
The paper shower developed as a safer and more practical replacement for some earlier forms of celebration. Times Square crowds had long used noise, banners, and thrown paper to mark major occasions, but the public celebration evolved as police and city officials managed increasingly large gatherings.
Confetti is made from small pieces of paper or other lightweight material. At Times Square, enormous quantities can be released from buildings and later swept from the streets. The falling pieces create a visible citywide-style moment for television audiences, complementing the ball descent and the crowd’s countdown.
Confetti is often confused with ticker tape. Ticker tape consisted of narrow paper strips produced by older stock quotation machines and was traditionally thrown during parades. Modern Times Square celebrations may use both the broad idea of a paper shower and specially prepared confetti, but they are not identical materials. The date 1932 is associated with confetti’s New Year’s Eve use in the square.