Quirky New Year's Eve Celebrations

Pickles, possums and fleas will help bring in 2012 across rural North Carolina.

Jeff Tiberii: The city of Mount Olive expects more than 2,000 visitors for its 13th annual pickle drop tomorrow night. A thirty-pound wooden flea will drop in Eastover to commemorate the New Year. And in the Western reaches of the state a live possum will be lowered, not dropped, 18 feet inside of some Plexiglas. Clay Logan is the organizer of the alcohol-free, family-oriented event.

Clay Logan: We have everybody find somebody they like. And we have them hold their hand up if they ain’t got nobody so we furnish free hugs for people that don’t have anybody to give them a New Year’s hug.

 As for the possum, P.E.T.A. has asked that a stuffed animal be used. Logan says the guest of honor is treated well, and released at the end of the night.