Before the ball's invention, people in New York City would gather outside Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan to hear the bells chime at midnight, PBS reported.

But after The New York Times moved offices to Midtown's Longacre Square — promptly renamed Times Square — in the early 1900s, the company started a midnight firework display to encourage people to celebrate farther north.

The fireworks were later banned by the city's police department, so Adolph Ochs, then-owner and publisher of The New York Times, commissioned the company's chief electrician, Walter Palmer, "to find a new light display," PBS reported.

Palmer was inspired by a 19th-century maritime method of timekeeping, which involved dropping a ball at a certain time to help mariners ensure their timepieces were accurate, PBS reported.

The first Times Square New Year's Eve ball was built by Jacob Starr, an immigrant metalworker. It weighed 700 pounds, measured 5 feet in diameter, and featured 100 light bulbs.

Artkraft Strauss, Starr's company, was in charge of lowering the ball at midnight with an elaborate pulley system. When it dropped for the first time to ring in 1908, it started a tradition that remains more than 100 years later.

Midway through the '20s, a less heavy ball replaced the original iron and wood one.

The new ball weighed 400 pounds and was made of wrought iron, per Times Square's website.

1942 and 1943 are the only years to date that the Times Square ball was not dropped to ring in the new year.

At the time, the US was engaged in World War II and New York City participated in a dim-out to protect the city from attacks, according to the Museum of the City of New York.

The dim-out didn't keep crowds away, though, on New Year's Eve, people still gathered in Times Square.

The new ball was made of aluminum and only weighed 150 pounds, which is the lightest it's ever been.

It was used until 1980, as seen in the photo above, behind Russ Brown, then-superintendent of One Times Square.

From 1981 to 1988, the Times Square ball was transformed into the "Big Apple Ball," complete with red light bulbs and a green stem to resemble an apple for the "I Love New York" marketing campaign, according to Times Square's website.

The traditional aluminum ball returned in 1989 and was upgraded in 1995 to include aluminum skin, rhinestones, and strobes.

But perhaps the most important upgrade was the addition of computer controls that lowered the ball at midnight.

The aluminum ball dropped for the last time in 1998.

To celebrate the turn of the millennium, the ball was redesigned by Waterford Crystal.

Each year, some of the 2,688 crystal panels are replaced; these new panels are designed and hand crafted to reflect a theme, Reuters reported in 2022.

In 2017, the 2007 ball — known as the Centennial Ball — was displayed at Ripley's Believe It or Not in Times Square.

At the time, Stacy Shuster, then-director of marketing and sales at Ripley's New York, told Untapped New York that the 2007 ball featured 672 Waterford crystal triangles and 9,576 Philips Luxeon LEDs.

The ball can be seen on display year-round, just like it was here in July 2020.

In 2020, Times Square was closed to the public on New Year's Eve due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the ball was still the star of the show.

The ball weighed 11,875 pounds and was 12 feet in diameter. As well as the usual 2,688 Waterford Crystals, it had 32,256 LED lights and displayed 16 million vibrant colors.

2021's ball drop was also scaled back, only allowing 15,000 spectators in comparison to its usual 58,000 people, and in-person viewers were required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination.

The ball was updated as a part of Waterford's "Gift of Wisdom" design for 2022.

Nearly 200 new Waterford crystals were installed on the ball ahead of 2023's arrival with the theme, the "Gift of Love," Reuters reported. The crystals feature circles of intertwining love hearts.

And ahead of 2024, the ball was given a "new bow tie lighting pattern" in honor of Times Square's former nickname as "the bow tie," CBS reported.

This year's ball includes crystal triangles with two new designs, according to Times Square 2025 organizers: the "One Times Square" crystal design and the "Ever" crystal design.

The One Times Square design "features long linear cuts with a circle near the top" to represent the pole and building where the ball drop takes place.

Meanwhile, the Ever design "consists of three pairs of interlocking rings surrounded by diamond facets that provide the setting for the letter E" in honor of One Times Square becoming a new destination for vow ceremonies in 2025, according to organizers.

Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown (which owns One Times Square), told CBS that the current ball "will go onto the lower floors of the building as part of an immersive arts and culture exhibit" and that the new iteration will be "much more digitally interactive."

Although camera phones are common today, the first phone for sale with a camera was released in 2000. The phone was called J-SH04, and it had just a 0.1-megapixel resolution.

A 2002 version of the J-Phone is pictured above.

The popular computer game, "The Sims," made its debut on February 4, 2000, and since then, the franchise has sold 200 million game copies, The Washington Post reported in 2020.

One of the most recent editions of the game, "The Sims 4: Life and Death," was released on October 31, 2024.

In 2000, Abercrombie & Fitch launched a new brand called Hollister, geared toward teenagers. The clothing store markets itself as laid-back attire, inspired by California's relaxed lifestyle.

Today, there are more than 500 Hollister stores worldwide.

Before there was Tinder or Bumble, clinical psychologist Dr. Neil Clark Warren created eHarmony, a website designed to help you meet your perfect match.

The site initially had users answer more than 450 questions to help them better enter long-term relationships. Since then, the site has cut down its questions, but remained one of the top online dating services. In 2017, for example, eHarmony had 750,000 paid subscribers and 10 million active users.

In January 2000, boy band NSYNC released "Bye Bye Bye" as the lead single for their album "No Strings Attached."

The song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, and the music video became a cultural phenomenon, staying in first place on "Total Request Live" for 25 days. It was even nominated for video of the year at MTV Video Music Awards.

Twenty-five years ago, Ricky Martin released "She Bangs," and the single climbed the charts. It reached 12th place on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 18 weeks.

When Lee Ann Womack released her country single "I Hope You Dance" in 2000, it became a hit. It reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and she earned a Country Music Association Award for single of the year.

When Baha Men first released "Who Let the Dogs Out," it flopped, barely reaching the top 40. But slowly, the single gained popularity in the early 2000s, as the catchy lyrics and tune caught on.

In the '80s and '90s, Bon Jovi released massive hits like "Livin' on a Prayer" and "You Give Love a Bad Name," but the band released another hit single in 2000: "It's My Life." The song eventually climbed to the top of the charts, carrying the band into another decade of success.

Bandmates Chris Martin, Will Champion, Jonny Buckland, and Guy Berryman released their debut studio album, "Parachutes," in July 2000 under the name Coldplay.

The album featured the song "Yellow," which remains a fan-favorite.

Following the success of her three other books in the "Harry Potter" series, JK Rowling published her fourth book, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," in the summer of 2000.

In 2020, Screen Rant reported that the book has sold about 65 million copies, making it the second-most popular book in the series.

Twenty-five years since the book's release, the franchise is still extremely successful, with a film series, amusement rides at Universal Studios, a show on Broadway, and an upcoming TV series.

However, Rowling herself has been the subject of controversy in recent years.

In the nearly 25 years since their release, Quinn's books have become the source material behind one of Netflix's most popular series to date: "Bridgerton."

The show, and its spinoff series, "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story," attracted 189 million views in the first half of 2024, with season three of "Bridgerton" accounting for 92 million in less than two months following its releases in May and June.

Season four is currently in the works.

"Erin Brockovich" is a biographical film about the real-life woman — played by Julia Roberts — who battled a California power company after it was accused of polluting a city's water. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture. Roberts took home the Oscar for best actress.

"Almost Famous" became a cultural juggernaut when it came out in 2000. The movie follows a high schooler who's writing an article for Rolling Stone about a new rock band.

It features an all-star cast, including Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin, and Zooey Deschanel. The film went on to be nominated for four Academy Awards, but it only took home one for best original screenplay.

Twenty-five years ago, a then 26-year-old Christian Bale starred as Patrick Bateman, a banking exec who moonlights as a psychopathic killer, in "American Psycho." The movie quickly became a cult classic — in 2013, the film was even turned into a Broadway musical.

In the summer of 2000, "Scary Movie" was released to parody the most popular horror films of the time, including "Scream," "Sixth Sense," and "The Blair Witch Project." It went on to be a success, launching Anna Faris' acting career and sparking multiple sequels.

In October 2024, Marlon, Shawn, and Keenan Wayans announced they're returning to the franchise for "Scary Movie 6."

In 2000, Russell Crowe starred as Maximus, a vengeful Roman general, in "Gladiator." The following year, the film was nominated 12 times at the Academy Awards, winning best picture. Crowe also took home the trophy for best actor.

Its sequel, "Gladiator II," was released in 2024 and starred Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington.

In 2000, Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union starred as rival cheerleading captains Torrance and Isis in the hit teen movie "Bring It On."

The success of the film prompted several sequels in the following years.

"Survivor" premiered on CBS on May 31, 2000. In the reality TV competition, strangers are placed in a remote and isolated location, then they have to find food and shelter, while also competing in challenges.

Each contestant is voted off the island one by one until there's only one standing survivor. That person wins $1 million. Over the last 25 years, "Survivor" has had 47 seasons, all of which have been hosted by Jeff Probst.

After "Survivor," CBS premiered another hit reality competition show in July 2000: "Big Brother."

The series follows a group of strangers who are forced to live together in a house while under constant surveillance. They compete in challenges and, in the end, one person wins $500,000.

Through the years, the show became increasingly popular, prompting spin-offs like "Celebrity Big Brother." So far, there have been 26 seasons, all hosted by Julie Chen Moonves.

In a February 2024 "Life in Looks" interview with Vogue, Lopez said that her stylist at the time, Andrea Lieberman, asked her not to wear the dress.

"My stylist was like, 'Please don't wear it. Somebody else has worn it,''" Lopez said, adding, "I was like, 'Well, you bought it, and it looks the best, so I'm going to wear it.' And so I did. And it caused quite a stir."

Lopez isn't wrong — the world has her and that dress to thank for Google Image Search, according to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

In the end, the Yankees became champions, winning its third consecutive World Series four games to one.

At just 20 years old, Venus Williams lifted the Wimbledon trophy for the first time in her career after defeating Lindsay Davenport.

Williams went on to win the Wimbledon singles' trophy four more times. She also has won six Wimbledon doubles titles.

Twenty-five years later, it's easy to forget how close the 2000 presidential election was.

Democratic nominee Al Gore and Republican nominee George W. Bush went head to head, but on election night, it was unclear who won.

With the votes so close in Florida, the state ordered a recount. After a slew of legal fights around the recount in Florida, the Supreme Court decided that the initial results would be counted, giving Bush the election. He won by a .009% margin, or 537 votes.

Although President Ronald Reagan ordered NASA to build the International Space Station in 1984, it wasn't until 2000 that people actually lived on it.

Bill Shepherd, Yuri Gidzenko, and Sergei Krikalev became the first three to reside on the ISS and live there for several months. Since then, more than 270 people from over 20 countries have visited the ISS, according to NASA.

It's been widely reported that Alabama became the first state to make Christmas a legal holiday in 1836.

These days, the state celebrates with a tree outside the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama.

In 1952, Con and Nellie Miller set up a trading post outside Fairbanks, Alaska, and called the town North Pole. The Miller family built Santa Claus House, a general goods store there.

In the Arizona desert, some people decorate cacti for the Christmas season.

In 2018, the Associated Press reported that a family in Phoenix built their Christmas tree from a cactus skeleton. They called it a "Phoenix Christmas tree."

Every year, Fayetteville, Arkansas, hosts the "Lights of the Ozarks" Christmas light display.

This year, the display will be up from November 22 to January 1, and according to ExperienceFayetteville.com, it's free to visit every night until 1 a.m.

California is home to the original Disneyland, which hosts several Christmas-themed events during the holiday season.

This year, through January 6, the park will be transformed into a winter wonderland. Even Sleeping Beauty's Castle gets the holiday treatment with wreaths and lights of its own.

Every year, Denver turns into a holiday wonderland for an event known as "Mile High Holidays."

Throughout November and December, the city is decorated with a 110-foot-tall LED light tree, while the botanical garden and zoo are transformed with lights.

In 2021, software company Porch conducted a study that found that people in Connecticut spend the most time decorating the exteriors of their homes, using an average of seven hours and 36 minutes to do so.

One of the most popular houses to visit was that of the Setti family in Norwalk, who decorated their home into a Christmas village for 26 years before retiring in 2014.

Nemours Estate is typically decked with elaborate Christmas decorations in Wilmington, Delaware.

According to the estate's website, visitors can tour the 77-room 20th-century mansion, the Chauffeur's garage, and the gardens, complete with their holiday displays through December 29.

Universal Studios in Orlando transforms for the holidays every year with holiday lights, Christmas trees, and other festive decor.

In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter section, guests can sip hot butterbeer while the Grinch hangs around Seuss Landing.

Every year, Atlanta hosts "Skate the Station," where a large, temporary ice skating rink is installed at Atlantic Station.

This year's rink is in operation through January 15.

Shaka Santa and his wife, Tutu Mele, are fixtures of the holiday season in Honolulu.

Every year, the pair of 21-foot statues are placed in front of city hall or Honolulu Hale. The city is also known for the "Honolulu City Lights" celebration.

Every year, Idaho's state Christmas tree is lit in front of the statehouse in Boise.

According to a local news station, this year's tree is a 36-foot-tall blue spruce that weighs about 3,750 pounds.

Chicago and Aurora, Illinois, will host the Christkindlmarket this year.

It's the 28th year the market has been held in Chicago, and over those years, it's become a popular attraction for residents looking to buy gifts, ornaments, and food from around the world.

Indianapolis decorates the Soldiers and Sailors Monument with 4,784 Christmas lights to make it look like a giant Christmas tree in an event known as the "Circle of Lights."

Keokuk, Iowa, hosts the "City of Christmas Display of Lights", a light display in Rand Park that visitors can drive through.

About 20,000 cars drive through the park annually to see more than 150 light displays, including the nativity scene, Santa's workshop, reindeer, and elves.

Botanica, The Wichita Gardens, is a public garden that hosts the holiday light show "Illuminations."

"Illuminations" features up to two million lights and has music, carousel rides, treats, and an opportunity to see Santa Claus. This year's display will be available through January 4.

Visitors of Lexington, Kentucky's Triangle Park, can enjoy an ice skating rink through January 20, 2025.

"Celebration in the Oaks" is an annual tradition where the city of New Orleans covers 25 acres of New Orleans City Park in Christmas lights.

The display spans the Park, Botanical Garden, Storyland, and the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park.

Since Maine is known for its lobster, it's fitting that residents build special Christmas trees focused on the sea creature.

In 2018, Rockland, Maine, residents built the world's largest tree out of lobster traps, reaching 40.5 feet. The tree included 155 lobster traps, 180 lobster buoys, and 2,500 lights, News Center Maine reported.

The Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore attracts visitors every year thanks to its elaborate Christmas decorations, which are displayed in a display called "Miracle on 34th Street."

Almost all the homes on the block are covered in Christmas lights, candy canes, Santa dolls, and other holiday displays.

Boston transforms during the holiday season, with hundreds of Christmas lights covering the trees in the Public Garden, Copley Square, the Prudential Center, and the Common.

Millions of lights become the focal point at the Detroit Zoo's "Wild Lights" event. According to its website, the zoo features more than 500 immersive displays. Some of the massive light displays include a lion, whale, fox, and snake.

Decorated in various Christmas lights, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train stops in more than 20 towns throughout Minnesota to raise money, awareness, and food donations for local food banks and pantries.

Though visitors can't actually ride the train, they're treated to a concert of holiday songs and popular originals. Some of this year's performers include Alana Springsteen, American Authors, Clerel, and Tiera Kennedy.

While most of the country decorates houses for Christmas, some residents in Mississippi decorate their boats with Christmas lights and other holiday decor.

The boaters show off their festive vessels at the Biloxi Beach Water Boat Parade, culminating in a fireworks show over the water.

Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, is decorated with Christmas lights, falling snowflakes, a Christmas tree, and toy trains for the holiday season.

People also come to the station to take in the holiday-themed shows, which include piano recitals, pageants, and caroling.

Volunteers in Bigfork, Montana, called the Bigfork Elves, are known for decorating the town yearly.

According to Bigfork.com, the volunteers "deck the town with over 10,000 feet of garland and lights" and have been active in the area for over 40 years.

Residents also gather for a tree-lighting ceremony and host other festive events.

"Christmas at the Cody's" is an annual celebration at the mansion of "Buffalo Bill" and Louisa Cody in North Platte, Nebraska.

The property is part of the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, and guests can enjoy Christmas lights, carols, and horse-drawn carriage rides.

In 2019, Business Insider named Las Vegas one of the most festive places to spend the holidays, and the annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run might be part of the reason.

The event draws thousands of people dressed in Old Saint Nick costumes to the city's downtown area to run or walk the course.

Though residents in Connecticut win for most time spent on exterior decorations, New Hampshire residents spend the most time decorating overall, with an average of 17 hours dedicated to the activity, according to Porch.

Loudon, New Hampshire, is also home to the Gift of Lights, a 2.5-mile drive with hundreds of light displays.

Christmas Day looks a bit different for some in New Jersey because they re-enact George Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware River.

The event starts at the Washington Crossing Historic Park in Pennsylvania and ends in Trenton, New Jersey, just as the former president did in 1776.

Every Christmas Eve, the streets leading to the Mesilla town square are lined with paper lanterns.

The square is also decorated in lights, as local choirs sing Christmas tunes, visitors enjoy holiday treats, and a vigil is held for fallen service members of the local fire department.

Rockefeller Center was completed in 1939 and has since become one of New York City's most popular tourist destinations. Millions of people visit the Christmas tree every year.

According to NBC, the tree is completed with a 900-pound Swarovski star with 70 spikes, 3 million crystals, and plenty of lights.

According to a 2022 report by the USDA, North Carolina produces the second-most Christmas trees of any state in the US, with more than 3 million trees.

This year, Williston, North Dakota, celebrated its 10th annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony with a 41-foot-tall Colorado Blue Spruce.

In addition to the tree lighting, guests enjoyed a bonfire, music, and fireworks.

"A Christmas Story" was released in 1983 and quickly became a cult classic during the holidays.

The house seen in the movie is still standing in Cleveland, and across the street, there's a museum that houses props, costumes, and other artifacts from the film.

Every year, the Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce hosts the Purcell Christmas Parade in Purcell, Oklahoma.

One key detail for parade participants: No one can dress up as Santa Claus — that responsibility belongs to the Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce.

Beating out North Carolina for Christmas tree production is Oregon.

According to the USDA, the "Beaver State" produced more than 4.5 million Christmas trees in 2022 to earn the top spot in the country.

In Philadelphia's Love Park, you'll find the Christmas Village, an open-air market with small business owners' booths, a Ferris wheel, treats, and the second-annual Festival of Trees fundraiser for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Newport is known for its famous mansions like The Breakers, The Elms, and Marble House.

The Preservation Society of Newport County welcomes visitors every year inside these homes to tour the Christmas decorations. You will find wreaths, poinsettias, white candles, and elaborate Christmas trees inside.

The Poinsettia Christmas Parade has been a Greenville, South Carolina, tradition for over 75 years.

This year, the best walking group award was given to the Bike Walk Greenville "Poinsettia Pedalers and Pedestrians."

According to Travel South Dakota, the state's "Christmas at the Capitol" tradition started in 1981 with 12 Christmas trees and now features almost 100 trees decorated by different organizations, cities, and businesses.

Business Insider's Priyanka Rajput reported that the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville has hosted "A Country Christmas" for 41 years.

To celebrate the holidays, the hotel prepares for six weeks to decorate the space with everything from life-size ice sculptures and hand-tied ribbons to elaborate Christmas trees.

The AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas hosted the "Reliant Lights Your Holiday" festival earlier this month. The free event included live music, local vendors, a drone show, fireworks, cookie decorating, and more.

Founded in 1847, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (previously known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) tours the world for most of the year but returns to Salt Lake City for its annual Christmas concert.

This year's guest artist is Tony Award winner Ruthie Ann Miles.

House Beautiful named Woodstock, Vermont, one of 2024's "most charming Christmas towns" in the US.

One of its attractions is Wassail Weekend, a festival with a parade, Christmas tree lighting, caroling, ice skating, and more.

Williamsburg, Virginia, is known for having a variety of festive activities, including markets, fireworks shows, performances, and Busch Gardens Christmas Town.

Like other major cities, Seattle hosts an annual Christmas market with artisans, food, drinks, and more. The city also participates in SantaCon, a bar crawl where people dress up as Santa.

The "Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights" dates back to 1985 and takes place in Wheeling, West Virginia. Today, it includes more than 100 light displays across 300 acres, WBOY-TV reported, and this year's display also features lights choreographed to music.

At the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin, visitors can ride two holiday-themed trains: the Santa Express and the Holiday Flyer.

According to the museum's website, passengers aboard the Santa Express will take a 55-minute ride and receive a visit from Santa and a small gift, while passengers on the Holiday Flyer will receive hot chocolate and treats.

The Jackson Hole Town Square is famous for its arch made of antlers.

After Thanksgiving, the city holds an event — with Santa, cookies, candies, and carols — to watch the antlers light up with Christmas lights for the first time in the season.

In the US, many children leave out a glass of milk and a plate of cookies for Santa.

Some families also leave carrots and celery for Santa's reindeer.

Although Australians leave cookies for Santa to snack on, they replace the glass of milk with a cold glass of beer. December is actually summer for Australia, so the beer might be just what Santa needs in the hot weather.

Some families in Ireland leave a pint of Guinness for Santa on Christmas Eve.

According to Culture Trip, children usually place the cold beer near the tree to offer Saint Nick a quick pick-me-up for the long night ahead.

Like in Australia and Ireland, children in the UK also leave Santa alcohol.

Families believe Father Christmas needs some sherry to warm up on Christmas night. It's also tradition to pair the sherry with a mince pie.

In the Netherlands, children often leave carrots and hay to help energize Sinterklaas's horses — yes, horses — on their trip around the world.

In some parts of Europe, like Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands, children don't believe Santa's sleigh is pulled by reindeer. Instead, they think he is being pulled by horses, so children leave food for them on Christmas Eve, and sometimes this food is left in their shoes.

Rather than leave snacks for Santa, children in Argentina leave out hay and water for the Three Kings' horses. They also leave out their shoes, so their gifts can be placed in them, Ecela Spanish reported.

Children in Argentina usually receive their presents on January 6, Three Kings Day, which honors the day the Three Kings delivered their presents to baby Jesus.

Kids in Denmark don't leave anything for Julemanden — the Danish term for Santa — to eat, but they do leave out treats for their nisse, or house elf.

According to Atlas Obscura, the Danish tradition calls for families to leave a bowl of risengrød (rice pudding or sweet porridge) out on Christmas Eve for the house elf.

In 2017, then-press officer of the Swedish Embassy in Washington, DC, Kate Reuterswärd told NPR that her family would leave a bowl of risgrynsgröt (rice porridge) outside their door.

"The rice porridge is thickened with milk and flavored with cinnamon and a little salt. Some families add almonds, butter, jam, or molasses, but the traditional version doesn't have to be sweetend," she said.

Some families in Sweden may also leave Jultomte a cup of coffee.

Rather than Santa Claus, children in Iceland await the arrival of the 13 Yule Lads, who, beginning on December 12, each bring them a small present, Nordic Visitor reported. In return, families leave out laufabrauð, which translates to leaf bread and tastes like a crispy wafer.

In France, children leave Père Noël wine and leave Gui, his donkey, treats like carrots or hay, which is left in their shoes, History.com reported.

Germans have a Christmas angel, the "Christkind," instead of Santa Claus, and they don't leave any snacks.

Instead, they write the angel letters. Some families mail the letters ahead of the holiday, while others leave them out on Christmas Eve, History.com reported.

In Chile, children leave pan de pascua, a traditional fruitcake, for Viejito Pascuero, "Old Man Christmas." Some of the fruitcake's key ingredients are dulce de leche, rum, candided fruits, and nuts.