New Year's Eve is a celebration of the past year that occurs in all versions of the Animal Crossing series. As the first part of the two-part New Year celebration, this holiday is the climax of each year. Tortimer hosts an outdoor countdown party for the villagers in town. The day following the celebration is New Year's Day, the second part of the New Year celebration.
In New Leaf, Redd appears at the countdown clock and sells hats. Similarly, in DÅbutsu no Mori, Redd took up a similar role.
The holiday is analogous with the real world holiday of the same name. The villagers in the town will get excited about this event and how they celebrate it varies in all the different Animal Crossing games. Traditionally in many western countries, people sing "Auld Lang Syne," a practice mirrored by the villagers in Animal Forest. Translated from Scots, the song's title means "Times Gone By."