28 New Year’s Eve Photos From The Last Century Prove It’s The Best Night To Party

Lets not even argue about this, New Year's Eve is the most fun. Presented by Getty Images.

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Season's greetings from the original Hollywood sex symbol, Mae West, in December 1936.

Are you ready to party down?!

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A group of people celebrating the new year on Jan. 1, 1940.

Grab a friend...

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Soldiers and civilians celebrating the new year in a nightclub on Jan. 1, 1942.

...or a group of friends.

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Lilian Baylis playing the piano at her annual New Year's Eve party. Ballet dancers gather around the piano for a sing-song, Jan. 2, 1937.

Get a hat. It's a party!

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Customers buying novelty items for New Year's Eve celebrations in a shop in Berlin, Dec. 28, 1934.

Look, even J. Edgar Hoover is in the spirit of the evening!

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FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover at a New Year's Eve party, Jan. 1, 1938.

This baby knows what's up.

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A baby in his buggy on Jan. 1, 1937, holds a poster with good advice for the new year.

Kissing optional, but encouraged.

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New Year's Eve celebration, Jan. 1, 1957.

(Even when it's a little awkward.)

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People celebrating New Year's Eve in New York on Dec. 31, 1941.

No one to kiss? At least you have a hat...

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Middleweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson looks forward to a "walloping" new year as he trains at Wiley's Gym on Dec. 31, 1956, before defending his title against Gene Fullmer on Jan. 2, 1957.

Happy New Year's are for the front lines, too.

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Soldiers on the front lines also took time to send happy new year wishes.

This donkey wanted to join the fun.

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A donkey named Jacko crashes a New Year's party held by children evacuated from London, Jan. 1940.

Dali isn't quite so sure...

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Artist Salvador Dali and others patrons celebrate New Year's Eve at New York's El Morocco nightclub, Jan. 1, 1950.

This group is committed to the festive spirit.

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Partygoers in Germany, Jan. 1, 1930.

And this fine ensemble shows some things transcend centuries.

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Actor Ida Perry, together with (from left): actors Arnold Rieck, Miss Thielscher, her husband Guido Thielscher, Martha Glueck, Robert Steidl, and Else Wannovius on New Year's Eve, 1906.

Drumroll, everyone, we're almost to the magic hour...

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Eskimo drummers from Point Hope, Alaska, accompany dancers on walrus-hide drums on New Year's Eve.

Okay, fine, some like quiet traditions and that's cool, too...

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Two couples playing cards, New Year's Eve, 1932.

This lady wishes you a Happy New Year!

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A woman sitting on a watch at midnight, 1928.

This is how 1925 does things, which I guess makes sense?

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Old year (on the right) leaves as new year (as a child on the left) arrives through the revolving door. This makes sense.

Toasts all around: It's a brand new year! Time to celebrate!

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Miss Frances Langford, radio singer and nightclub performer, gracefully accepts another toast after she had been coaxed atop a table during a New Year's party in New York on Jan. 1, 1934.

There's this somewhat-sexist-but-it's-1941 photo.

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The original caption reads, "Champagne and pretty girls, carnival hats and confetti — the setting that a soldier or a sailor likes for his merry-making. The showgirls went all out to make the boys feel at home." Oh, 1941 New York.

And then the 1970s, keeping pace with some New Year's bath-time debauchery.

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Art dealers Louis and Susan Meisel host a New Year's Eve party in their oversize bathtub, New York, Dec. 31, 1974.

The 80s took the party to the streets...

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Rowdy New Year's Eve revelers party on the famed Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, Dec. 31, 1979.

...and the 90s took the party to the wall (literally).

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Reunited Germans celebrate New Year's Eve atop the Berlin Wall, Jan. 1, 1991, two months after the border between the divided city was opened.

These babies decided it was a fine day to join the celebrations.

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Nurses in a maternity ward in Paris, Jan. 1, 1932.

These dudes are a bit more partied-out.

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Three New Year's Eve revelers mug happily for the camera.

It's a lot of work to ring in a new year properly.

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The end of a New Year's Eve party, date unknown.

At least it only happens once every 365 days. Happy New Year!

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A man passed out at the Palm Beach Club in New York City, Jan. 1, 1948.