Chicken nuggets help welcome new year

For millions, New Years is marked by the descent of the giant crystal ball in Times Square. For others, it's a giant acorn or peach. But perhaps the most savory countdown is in McDonough, Georgia, where thousands gathered Wednesday to watch a giant chicken nugget drop into a vat of dipping sauce. The 6-foot-tall, 800-pound nugget is actually plaster and vat is filled with syrup and food coloring meant to resemble honey mustard, "but it looks real," said 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.

(Associated Press)