Red Square hosts Moscow's main New Year's Eve countdown beside the Kremlin.
The historic square lies in the centre of Moscow, between the Kremlin and the Kitai-gorod district. Its surroundings include Saint Basil's Cathedral, the State Historical Museum and the GUM department store, giving the midnight celebration an exceptionally recognizable setting.
New Year's Eve in Russia is celebrated on December 31 according to the modern Gregorian calendar, even though the Russian Orthodox Church continues to use the Julian calendar for many religious observances. The national holiday period also extends beyond the single midnight countdown.
Red Square is a place of national ceremonies as well as public festivities, so access and event arrangements may vary. The square's name does not mean that it was named for communism: in older Russian, the word krasnaya could mean “beautiful,” and the name originally referred to the square as beautiful. That linguistic history is a frequent point of confusion when the location is described in English.