Kiribati and the Christmas Island are the first locations worldwide to celebrate the arrival of 2025. These regions, located in the Pacific Ocean, marked midnight and welcomed the new year before many others. As celebrations unfolded, Sydney, Australia, also kicked off its festivities with a fireworks display, previewing the celebrations to come. Christmas Island, an Australian territory, boasts a rich history, having been discovered on Christmas Day in 1643 and inhabited since the late 19th century.