This town drops a 400-pound Peep to ring in the new year

Bethlehem, PA, drops an effigy of the marshmallow dessert at part of annual PeepsFest. (Jeff Fusco/AP Images for Just Born Quality Confections)

There are lots of weird things people drop on New Year’s Eve.

In Plymouth, Wisconsin, they drop cheese. In Mobile, Alabama, they drop a giant Moon Pie.

And in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, they drop a bright yellow, 400-pound Peep chick.

The 400-pound Peep is constructed out of fiberglass and dropped at 5:15 p.m. to ring in the new year. (Jeff Fusco/AP Images for Just Born Quality Confections)

While you would normally only see a Peep around Easter, Bethlehem creates the big, illuminated chick out of fiberglass. Standing at about four feet and nine inches, the town drops the effigy of the marshmallow candy at 5:15 p.m. on December 31 to ring in the new year. The drop is also followed by a fireworks show.

Well, we supposed it’s a better fate for a Peep than being put in a microwave.

The reason why Peeps are so popular in Bethlehem is because the candy company that created them, Just Born, is based in the town. Therefore, PeepsFest, a two-day, family-friendly festival that celebrates everything about Peeps, is always a fun gathering for the town.

The annual Peep celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. on New Year's Eve. (Jeff Fusco/AP Images for Just Born Quality Confections)

Any Peep fans who want to join in on the fun can head to SteelStacks in Bethlehem on New Year’s Eve, where activities last all day, starting at 10 a.m. and ending in the evening with the drop and fireworks.

If your new year's resolution is to be more creative (or eat more candy), this might be a good way to start things off.