Even after the peach has dropped and all of the champagne has been popped, there still are local ways to continue celebrating the new year.

Flowery Branch Antiques will open its doors Thursday for its yearly New Year’s Day auction.

"The holiday antique auction has really become an annual tradition. It all started because a lot of people are off then, but there’s not a lot to do because most places are closed," said Bill Branson, who is the owner of Flowery Branch Antiques on Atlanta Highway.

"By having the auction in the mornings, it gives people a chance to get out and do something, but still have the rest of the day to spend with their family. We usually get a pretty big turnout."

According to Branson, hundreds of items will be up for bids on Thursday.

"If it’s an antique, then it could very well be here," he said.

Some of the auction pieces include Civil War paraphernalia, spinning wheels, clocks and glass items.

Another New Year’s Day tradition that tends to draw a large crowd is the annual Polar Bear Swim at Lake Lanier.

The frosty event has become an annual custom, where many brave souls take an icy plunge into the lake to herald the new year.

The event is sponsored by the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club and will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Lake Lanier Olympic Venue on Clarks Bridge Road.

Besides being a chilly holiday tradition, the Polar Bear Swim is also a fundraiser for the canoe and kayak club. The fee for taking the icy challenge is $25 per single jumper or $50 for a family jump.

Those who are planning to take the plunge should be prepared for moderately cold temperatures. The National Weather Service is predicting that the highs will be in the lower 50s that day, with 10 to 15 mile per hour easterly winds.