NEW YORK, United States (Reuters) — New Yorkers and tourists lined up in Times Square on Wednesday (December 28) to ring in the new year early by throwing away bad memories for the 10th annual “Good Riddance Day.”
The event aims to get rid of all the negativity from 2016 in order to make room for all the possibilities and positivity that 2017 has in store.
“It’s time to get a little bit more substantive in 2017,” said Times Square Alliance President Tim Tompkins, holding up a message reading, “I want to say Good Riddance to: Tiny Thumbs on Twitter” with a photo of President-elect Donald Trump.
Participants wrote their bad memory on a piece of paper and along with photographs, bills and other items of discontent, tossed them into a large garbage bin. A giant shredder was then used to decimate the paper and the memory into little bits.
“I’m saying goodbye to the 2016 presidential election, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life and I have to say goodbye and hope to turn the page for next year,” said Sue from Canada.
“We’re going to shred all the negative vibes from 2016 and hopefully we’ll have a better, more united 2017,” said Nick Lanier.
Good Riddance Day is inspired by a Latin American tradition in which New Year’s revelers stuffed dolls with objects representing bad memories before setting them on fire, according to organizers.