You know about the ball dropin New York. But Americans in towns big and small have taken the idea of lowering things on New Year's Eve and made them local.
And sometimes they're very strange.
Why it matters: It's the last minute of the year. Who are you spending it with, and what are you watching fall? A twinkly ball on your television? Or something local and handcrafted, like, say, roadkill?
Why it matters: The 3.2% cost-of-living adjustment is much smaller than in the last two years. But it still provides a boost for consumers who are dealing with inflation and higher prices.