When the clock strikes midnight tonight, we finally get to say goodbye to the horrible year that was 2020. Or do it at 7 p.m.<\/b>
\nWhen the clock strikes midnight tonight, we finally get to say goodbye to the horrible year that was 2020. Well, anyone who can stay up that late, which can be a bit of a challenge for those of us with little kids. A word of advice for new or adventurous (or drunk) parents who were planning on waking their children up just before midnight local time to join them in a countdown, toast and a kiss \u2014 don\u2019t. We\u2019ve tried \u2014 and failed at \u2014 that. TheWrap\u2019s got a better idea: party like \u2014 and with \u2014 the Brits. They may not have a giant ball, but there\u2019s a hell of a fireworks display as Dec.31 gives way to Jan.1. London is five hours ahead of the United States\u2019 Eastern time zone. That means midnight in jolly old England is 7 p.m. ET (or 6 p.m. CT,5 p.m. MT and 4 p.m. PT \u2014 but if the California kids are going to bed at 4 o\u2019clock, that New Year\u2019s Day hangover is going to be the least of parents\u2019 problems.) The London fireworks are broadcast locally on BBC One. That doesn\u2019t much help us here. Nor does BBC America, which is just airing a \u201cDoctor Who\u201d marathon leading up to its New Year\u2019s Day special. The BBC One live stream via BBC iPlayer can be found at BBC.com. You will have to register ahead of time, a process which merely requires one to enter their date of birth, email address and create a password. Then check your email to confirm your (free) account. The BBC YouTube channel can be found here. If the kids simply won\u2019t go to sleep, or God forbid they have one more nightmare of 2020 (likely about 2020, children are sponges), your family can also watch the ball drop in Times Square via the below live stream. Technically, that celebration starts at 6 p.m. ET, so the patriotic young ones can catch a little American preparation \u2014 in the times of COVID \u2014 at the very least. Oh, and in case you\u2019ve already had way too much champagne, a reminder \u2014 no, you cannot attend the midtown Manhattan event (or anywhere, really) in person this year. Here\u2019s to 2021. Or really, to not 2020.<\/p>\n