Thousands flock to First Night

Large crowds descended today on Boston for day-long New Year’s Eve festivities ranging from parades to firework shows.

Fireworks lit up the sky over the Soldiers & Sailors Monument on the Boston Common tonight

Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff

Fireworks lit up the sky over the Soldiers & Sailors Monument on the Boston Common tonight.

Boston, MA: 12-31-2011: Fireworks over Boston Common during the First Night celebration of New Year's Eve Dec. 31, 2011. (These are the early,

John Blanding/globe staff

These are a prelude to the midnight fireworks over Boston Harbor.

Boston 12/31/2011 2012 Parade on Boylston Street at First Night Boston Celebration. Jonathan Wiggs Boston Globe Staff / Photographer Reporter:Section: Metro:Slug:Reporter:

jonathan wiggs/globe staff

First Night celebrations continued tonight with several events, including this parade on Boylston St.

Boston 12/31/2011 2012 Members of The Graeter Boston Chinese Cultural Association during First Night Boston Celebration. Jonathan Wiggs Boston Globe Staff / Photographer Reporter:Section: Metro:Slug:Reporter:

jonathan wiggs/globe staff

Members of the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association were also part of the parade.

Boston 12/31/2011 Jada Andrade (cq) left and her sister Dasia Andrade (cq) right at 2012 First Night Boston Celebration. Jonathan Wiggs Boston Globe Staff / Photographer Reporter:Section: Metro:Slug:Reporter:

jonathan wiggs/globe staff

Organizers anticipated roughly 1 million people would flock to First Night's 40 venues scattered across the metropolitan area.

Boston, Mass. -12/31/11 - First Night celebrations took place in Copley Square and at the Hynes Convention Center. Eric Fontecchio(cq) with the Brookline Ice Company works on Glass Icicles, an ice scupture in Copley Square which he said was a tribute to glass artist Dale Chihuly. Globe staff photo by John Tlumacki (metro)

John Tlumacki/globe staff

Workers prepared an ice sculpture in Copley Square this afternoon.

Boston, Mass. -12/31/11 - First Night celebrations took place in Copley Square and at the Hynes Convention Center. Carol D. Carter(left) paints the face of Cailin Duffy, 10 from Cromwell, Conn. Globe staff photo by John Tlumacki (metro)

John Tlumacki/globe staff

A young girl got her face painted for the occasion.

Boston, Mass. -12/31/11 - First Night celebrations took place in Copley Square and at the Hynes Convention Center. Items to celebrate were for sale at the Hynes. Globe staff photo by John Tlumacki (metro)

John Tlumacki/globe staff

Plastic trumpets were on sale at the Hynes Convention Center today.

Boston, Mass. -12/31/11 - First Night celebrations took place in Copley Square and at the Hynes Convention Center. Drums from the group IntaAfrika play on stage. Globe staff photo by John Tlumacki (metro)

John Tlumacki/globe staff

Drummers from the group IntaAfrika played at the Hynes Convention Center.

Boston, Mass. -12/31/11 - First Night celebrations took place in Copley Square and at the Hynes Convention Center. Scarlett O'Hamlon(cq) , 11 months from Cumberland, R.I. wears her first night oufit as she waits with her family in the face-painting room. Globe staff photo by John Tlumacki (metro)

John Tlumacki/globe staff

Scarlett O'Hamlon, 11 months old, from Cumberland, R.I., appeared ready to celebrate her first New Year's today.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Fireworks light up the London skyline and Big Ben just after midnight on January 1, 2012 in London, England. Thousands of people lined the banks of the River Thames in central London to see in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Revelers ring in 2012 around the world

People celebrated the arrival of the new year from New Zealand to England.

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Opening up hearts and minds

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“Customers are using Logan more than they ever did, which is great news for everyone. The more passengers you have, that generates more revenue.”

Edward Freni,  director of aviation for the Massachusetts Port Authority

Inside The Boston Globe

GLOBE MAGAZINE

2011 Bostonians of the Year: The runners-up

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The Red Clover Inn is near Pico Peak (pictured) and Killington Resort.

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G Force

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Carmen Ortiz is the 2011 Bostonian of the Year

Paul’s libertarian message finds fans
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Boston’s 10 biggest sports stories of 2011

A vending machine that serves up safety
Chestnut Hill, MA 122211 Zoe Wright (Cq), 13, and Ellery Wright (Cq), 6, of Halifax, Nova Scotia take advantage of the warm temperatures the first day of winter on December 22, 2011 at Chestnut Hill Reservoir. (Essdras M Suarez/ Globe Staff)/ MET

Photos

Globe photos of the week

A tenant ousted, a manager housed
Mansfield area, MA. 06/ 21 / 2011: Pilot Lt. Col.John Klatt, a veteran F-16 jet fighter pilot had a flight over Boston is in anticipation of his aerobatic performance presented by the Air National Guard, at the Rhode Island Air Show Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26, Lt. Col. Klatt will hurtle his 350 hp plane toward the earth and heavens at speeds upward of 250 mph as he performs seemingly unrecoverable maneuvers that will thrill the crowd below. Second pilot in plane is Bill Kerns (cq) in the background .( David L Ryan / Globe Staff Photo ) SECTION : METRO TOPIC : 22flyoverphoto REPORTER ONLINE CUTLINE BELOW: Lieutenant Colonel John Klatt, a veteran F-16 jet fighter pilot, took a flight over Boston is in anticipation of the June 25-26 Rhode Island Air Show, along with pilot Bill Kerns in plane below. pow2011

Photos

Globe staff pictures of 2011

Columnists

Christopher L. Gasper

Bigger impact means better days

Scot Lehigh

Romney looks good in Iowa

Boston Capital

With munis, a pro beats the market

Opinion

The retooled Romney

Jeff Jacoby

The gift of giving

Scot Lehigh

Caucuses are a test for Iowa
The Patriots will host at least one playoff game next month. They will be seeking to break a three-game losing streak in the postseason.

Christopher L. Gasper

Patriots’ playoff hopes are still anyone’s guess
Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo tussled with New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony during yesterday’s loss.

Dan Shaughnessy

Celtics-Knicks was an entertaining package
A soldier carries his bag to begin his trip back to the United States at Camp Virginia, Kuwait, Tuesday.

Juliette Kayyem

War ends, a soldier at a time
Alex Morse.

Joanna Weiss

Hope in Holyoke

Yvonne Abraham

‘Today mommy becomes our real mommy’

Joan Vennochi

Young, hip, educated, and jobless

Metro

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Work planned at Fall River pool

The Department of Conservation and Recreation is launching plans to renovate the site where a 36-year-old woman died in June.

Business

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Historic theater gets new hope

The Everett Square Theatre in Hyde Park has been closed for three decades, but a new marquee is sparking hopes for a larger renovation project.

Politics

Republican presidential candidate Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaks during a campaign stop at The Gigglin' Goat in Boone, Iowa, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Perry goes on offensive against Santorum

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry today attacked Rick Santorum as a big-spending “Washington insider.”

Nation & World

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Obama signs defense bill despite ‘reservations’

President Barack Obama today signed the $662 billion package despite ‘‘serious reservations’’ over provisions regarding the handling of suspected terrorists.

Sports

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Stars 4, Bruins 2

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas watched as a shot from Stars left wing Loui Eriksson (21) gets past him for a first-period goal.

Bruins’ streak ends in Dallas

Loui Eriksson and former Bruin Michael Ryder scored power-play goals in the first period as the Stars ended the Bruins’ seven-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory.

Arts

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Television Review

‘Angry Boys’ could stand to be funnier

The lives of men have been front and center in several new comedies this season.

Magazine

The cover for the December 18 2011 issue

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The cover for the December 11 2011 issue

Letting Ruth go
The cover for the December 4 2011 issue

Game rooms grow up
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Opinion

“What’s needed is a system in which everyone’s interest — the patient’s, the doctor’s, and the insurer’s — lies in getting the most effective treatment in the most cost-efficient manner.”

Globe editorial 

Ideas

The practice of sending commercially printed cards soon became wildly popular. It reached the United States in 1875…By 1958, the average US family mailed 100 Christmas cards.

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