Good Riddance Day: New Yorkers shred bad memories from 2018 (11 images)

People gather in Times Square to write down and shred bad memories from 2018. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

A Shred-it mobile shredding truck was on hand to discard and destroy funny, outlandish, and heartbreaking memories of the past year, allowing participants to move one step closer to a fresh start in 2019. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Good Riddance Day was inspired by a tradition from Ecuador and Panama of burning "muñecos," or dolls made to represent bad people or figures from the year, in a bonfire. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

People also can write their hopes for the upcoming year that will rain down as confetti when the ball drops on New Year's Eve. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI