But perhaps the most savoury countdown is in McDonough, Georgia, where thousands gathered on Wednesday to watch a giant chicken nugget drop into a vat of dipping sauce.
The 6-foot(1.8-metre)-tall, 800-pound (363-kilograms) nugget is actually plaster and the vat is filled with syrup and food colouring meant to resemble honey mustard, 'but it looks real', said Ms Liz Stavely, a manager at Truett's Grill, which hosts the annual event.
The crowd was entertained by a fire-eating magician, bungee jumping, a caricature artist and musicians. The restaurant, part of the Chick-fil-A chain, offered free chicken nuggets. -- AP