Party Times

Confetti & fun to rain down on crossroads of world

MORE THAN A ton of words — and a giant crystal sphere — will fall from the sky in Times Square for the biggest party of 2012 and the start of the new year.

About 1 million revelers will gather in the landmark square to watch messages written on confetti and the big ball drop on Tuesday, marking the end of one year and the start of the next in classic New York style.

“We’re going to party! Everybody talks about New York and New Year’s,” said Darren Power, 36, who came all the way from Dublin for the show. “It will be a good party.”

Celebrity countdown hostess Allison Hagendorf turned up Saturday to test the worthiness of this year’s confetti by tossing a few bagfuls from the eighth-floor windows of the Times Square Alliance offices at 46th St. in Times Square.

True to form, the bits of paper floated down to the ground like snow.

“Beautiful,” said Hagendorf, as she watched the confetti slowly fall to the street below. “I’m wishing 2013 will be the lucky 13.”

Meanwhile, eight stories down, hundreds of visitors dropped by the Times Square visitors center to write their wishes on fresh bits of paper that will fall on the big night.

“I just wrote ‘health and happiness, 2013,’ ” said Janet Edwards, who’s visiting from Florida with her family. “World peace would be nice, but otherwise it’s just saying hello to 2013, welcoming it in.”

Edwards’ grandson Myles Backman, 14, marked his piece of confetti with a more specific wish.

“I hope I get on the honor roll,” he said.

Ryan Stokes, 6, of Charlotte, N.C., also had something important in mind when he wrote on his little sliver of New Year’s joy: the puppy named Atlas his parents gave him for Chanukah.

“I wish for the good health of my dog,” said Ryan.

Besides the confetti and the New Year’s Eve ball, which this year boasts 288 new Waterford crystals, an all-star lineup of entertainers will rock the party.

Taylor Swift, Train, Psy and Neon Trees are among the musical groups that will play throughout the night at events emceed by Carson Daly, Anderson Cooper and others.

As usual, Mayor Bloomberg also plans to drop by the party, as will the Rockettes. Hizzoner might even top his kiss of Lady Gaga last year by smooching all of the high-stepping dancers.