MANHATTAN — A lot of work goes into that confetti that rains down on New Year's revelers in Times Square every year. More than many might realize.
Preparations begin right at turn of the year 12 months before and intensify once the winter begins, according to Jeffrey Strauss, president of Countdown Entertainment which oversees the annual ball drop.
"By December, it is crazy, seven days a week, 24 hours. Christmas? I don't even remember that holiday," Strauss said.
While more still needs to be done ahead of the midnight celebration, Strauss and others gathered Tuesday to show off their new confetti and "test" it by tossing huge colorful handfuls from the marquee of the Hard Rock Cafe.
"We do it by hand. We don't want to rely on machines. They can get clogged or stuck or something can happen," Strauss said.
"We don't trust machines."
If all goes according to plan, 75 volunteers and the confetti master, Treb Heinning, will hurl about 20 million pieces of confetti — one ton — from seven different rooftops in the first moments of Jan. 1, 2016.
"There's something magical about actually being able to participate in that confetti blizzard and be part of it," Strauss said.