Practices vary widely:
South African police will crack down hard on anybody throwing old fridges from high-rise buildings during the New Year’s holiday, they say.
Police and soldiers are on patrol in Johannesburg’s notorious Hillbrow suburb, famous for the practice.
Throwing heavy objects from balconies and firing guns have become something of a bad “New Year’s institution,” said police Inspector Kriben Naidoo.
Revellers have been killed in the past after being hit by stray bullets.
It is not clear why Hillbrow residents have taken to seeing in the New Year by throwing objects such as fridges, microwave ovens, beds, rubbish bins and condoms out of their windows.
Some also aim their New Year fireworks horizontally, so they go from one high-rise apartment into another.
For my part, I’ll watch some college football, which should be a bit safer.