No New Years foursquare badge this year; bonus points instead

If you’re hoping for a New Year 2012 badge to go along with your 2011 edition, it appears you’ll be disappointed. As 2012 begins in Japan and Australia, users are reporting that there’s no special New Year badge this year.

Instead, users are receiving three bonus points for their first checkin of 2012.

For the most part, foursquare doesn’t celebrate holidays with badges (Halloween is the major exception). Last year’s New Year badge was really the only exception, so many users expected another one for 2012.

I’d expect the new points system to be foursquare’s way of celebrating holidays from now on. It’s much more flexible and can be used to mark holidays of all sorts, including regional and religious holidays (as we saw with Christmas and Hanukkah).

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

UPDATE: According to no6v below, you’ll get an extra 12 bonus points if you check in during the first 12 minutes of 2012. That should be fun to try and get.