The Jewish new year of Rosh Hashanah begins this Friday night. Here are 21 photos that show what New Year's celebrations look like across the globe.

Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Friday, September 18 this year.Hollis Johnson/Insider

• New Year's traditions look different depending on where you are and what religion and customs you follow.
• The Jewish new year of Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 18 this year.
• We looked at five New Year's celebrations around the world — from the Chinese Lunar New Year to the Hindu New Year Diwali — to see how people around the world reflect on the past and prepare for the future.

The Jewish new year of Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 18 this year, and communities around the world are gearing up to celebrate. There'll be apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year, and a trumpet-like instrument called a shofar to inspire growth and soul-searching in the year ahead.

New Year's looks different depending on where you're from and what religion and customs you follow. For Songkran, the Thai new year celebrated in April, wonderfully aromatic dishes are served, and people are splashed with water in the streets to wash away the previous year. During the Lunar New Year, red envelopes filled with money are handed to family members and streets close down for colorful parades that feature lion dancers and fireworks — plus traditional candies and sweets.

We explored how several cultures celebrate the new year. Keep reading to learn more about each of these traditions.

Nisha Stickles, Khadija Islam, Uma Sharma, and Talia Lakritz contributed to this post.