Paris ? For Sweden’s prime minister, celebrating New Year’s after the Asian tsunami felt “completely wrong.” Paris, its gay heart heavy with the tragedy, draped black cloth along the Champs-Elysees. Elsewhere, prayers substituted for parties in the final minutes of 2004.

Even for those far from Asian and African shores where the giant waves killed more than 120,000, the disaster was too overwhelming for a carefree leap into 2005.

In Europe, thousands were struggling with the loss of loved ones and friends. The confirmed death tolls for many European countries were in the double digits, but officials warned the final tallies would be in the hundreds or even thousands. For Sweden alone, 2,500 tourists remain missing, while Switzerland was waiting to hear from some 700 and the French reported at least 118 disappeared.

“Never has the step into a new year felt heavier,” said Goeran Persson, Sweden’s premier who urged Swedes to light candles in their windows as a vigil. “We should have celebrated with fireworks and festivities. Now that feels completely wrong.”

Many of the estimated 1 million revelers around the glittering, firework-illuminated harbor in Sydney, Australia, marked a moment of silence for victims.

A balloon release at the Tokyo Tower in Japan marks the start of 2005.

Stores in major German cities said sales of fireworks were down, in some cases by a third. Some retailers attributed the restraint to appeals from Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and others for the money usually spent on pyrotechnics to be donated.

In Russia, wearied by a year of scandals and terrorist attacks, caution prevailed.

“This year … ended very badly,” said Lena Suyedinya, 26. “I hope next year will be calmer — more peaceful.”