2. The N.Y.P.D. is ramping up security for the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square to protect against a Las Vegas-style sniper, suicide bomber or truck attack.

There’s no specific threat, but the department takes every precaution for the storied celebration, which draws about two million people. (The Times actually started the ball drop in 1907; read about it here.)

Another major concern for outdoor New Year’s celebrations: the freezing temperatures engulfing the Northeast and Midwest. Some towns are canceling them entirely amid record lows. (And if you’re planning on a polar-bear plunge, maybe just wait a year.)