With very few options for New Year's Eve celebrations this year, a large swath of Toronto tuned into the CN Tower's special lights show to ring in the new year.

Mayor John Tory was the face of an atypical NYE countdown in which he thanked residents for staying home while standing in front of an eerily empty Nathan Phillips Square, which is usually packed full of celebrators gathering to skate and watch the annual fireworks display at City Hall.

Whoa! Just when you’re like, “This couldn’t be any more spectacular, “ the Space Needle is like, “ Oh yeah? Just watch this!” Hey, Toronto, the CN Tower’s gotta step it up. https://t.co/VJdJjuv1rE

— Bonnie North (@BonnieNorthGP) January 1, 2021

The broadcast cut to a lights show at the CN Tower after midnight, with the iconic structure's 1300 LED lights blinking and bathing it in all the colours of the rainbow, with a bold "2021"at the base of the main deck.

There was also an accompanying live musical simulcast of Jamar's House Party on CHUM 104.5.

Though the presentation was indeed a beautiful substitute for the usual festivities, some residents seemed to find it a little anticlimactic, especially when compared to certain other shows put on in other parts of the world.

The tower's counterpart in Seattle, for example, put on quite the production, making headlines for its futuristic digital array of light and sound.

Exactly! My family and I were standing there looking through our window (we have a panoramic view of Toronto and the CN Tower front and center) with our glasses of champagne waiting for something epic and instead all simultaneously said "WTF".
For Shame Toronto @JohnTory #NYE

— Anya M.🥀 (@anyasaiditfirst) January 1, 2021

The Space Needle hosted the T-Mobile New Year's at the Needle event, with the city's tower serving as the centre of trippy galaxies, DNA strands, floral blooms, giant butterflies and other features that were so spectacularly done that they didn't look like real life.

But, the fact is that they weren't real: unlike Toronto's, which could be seen IRL for those who could catch a glimpse of the CN Tower from their home, Seattle's whole presentation was virtual, created using video footage and "sky mapping technology."

In person, the needle was simply illuminated purple, which paled in comparison to the city's usual NYE fireworks spectacle — and also to our own landmark's display.

LOL this was a pathetic display! The London display was insane & puts the "Toronto lightshow" to shame, SMH to whoever thought this would be a good idea
London 2021 New Years displayhttps://t.co/hVQRyxHChf

— CollapseIncoming (@DfnsiveSecurity) January 1, 2021

After a year defined by a deadly pandemic, worldwide lockdowns, tragic bush fires, civil unrest, explosions, plane crashes and more unthinkably terrible happenings, let's just all be happy that we're done with 2020, and do our best within our means to make this year better, which may include being more appreciative of what we've got.

As Mayor Tory said, "We'll look back and we'll remember this year but  I think it's time for us to look ahead with hope and to look forward to being able to have a better year in 2021."