Economic strain is only one part of the picture Americans carry into the new year. One year after Donald Trump returned to the White House, political rifts and polarization have not eased, and in many places have deepened.

by Xinhua writer Shi Chun

NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of revelers from around the world gathered in New York's Times Square overnight Wednesday to ring in the new year. Yet beneath the dazzling lights, pulsing music, and jubilant countdown, many Americans cautioned that the tensions and divisions that defined the past year show no sign of easing.

In the cheering crowd, Lisa Garcia stood beside her husband, Marco Garcia, who held a cell phone aloft to capture the crystal ball glittering above the skyscrapers.

The newlyweds from Arkansas arrived in Manhattan early Wednesday after a flight delayed by more than two hours. Watching the New Year's Eve ball drop had been on their wish list for years.

For the young couple, however, 2025 has been anything but easy.

"We changed jobs and moved to a new city over the past year," said Lisa, a nurse intern. "Wage increases keep getting smaller, but inflation and basic costs -- rent, gas, electricity -- just keep ticking up."

"It adds a lot of pressure," she said.

Across the United States, an affordability crisis continues to squeeze millions of households, even as the stock market climbs and headline economic data paint a rosy picture. Newly released figures revealed that U.S. GDP grew by 4.3 percent in the third quarter, beating expectations.

"That has nothing to do with working families like us," Marco said. "What we know is that we have to save every dollar just to get through daily life."

Over the past year, the cost of living has risen for many Americans, driven by persistent inflation, high energy prices and consumer price increases linked to tariffs.

Still, Lisa said she is looking ahead.

"Hopefully, 2026 will be a new beginning," Lisa said. "We plan to welcome our baby next year."

Economic strain is only one part of the picture Americans carry into the new year. One year after Donald Trump returned to the White House, political rifts and polarization have not eased, and in many places have deepened.

For Ahmed Sayeed, a 23-year-old Lebanese American from New Jersey, the "No Kings" protest he joined with friends in October remains one of his strongest memories of 2025.

The protests against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and broader agenda drew tens of thousands into New York's streets. On October 18, about 7 million people nationwide took to the streets in the "No Kings" protests. Organizers described them as the largest single-day demonstration in U.S. history.

"The country feels like it's pulling in opposite directions," Sayeed said. "New York reminds you how many immigrants are part of the fabric here."

"We can't afford too much division and hatred," he added.

As Americans bid farewell to 2025, a year shadowed by turbulence and uncertainty, the celebration in Times Square offered a fleeting moment of relief -- a chance to cheer, to heal and to begin again.

The moment the crystal ball started its glittering fall and the first notes of "Auld Lang Syne" filled the air to bid farewell to the old year, strangers wrapped arms around one another, lovers sealed the year with a kiss, and joy erupted in rolling tides of celebration.

"It's been a hard year for many people," said Elena Cavallini, a college student from Italy. "I hope 2026 will be better -- more peace, less pain."