I don’t think it’s because I’m getting old that the thought of celebrating New Year’s Eve by going out to a party–much less standing outside as in being in Times Square with masses of other people–has zero appeal. I have always, even when I was young, preferred to stay up until midnight, yes, but to do it at home. My custom has been to snack on appetizer-like junk food and sip appropriate beverages while playing games with members of my family. (One of whom got for Christmas Axis and Allies! It’s a fantastic game. It’s like Risk in 3-D and on steroids. But the primary contest of our vigil this year will be Canasta.) Even when I was a teenager I would rather do this on New Year’s Eve than go out with my friends. As my now-grown daughter, who is like me in this, just explained, it’s the family in which we have our beginnings and in which we live out our days, so it’s fitting to celebrate the changing of the year at home. We do turn on the TV a few minutes before midnight to watch the ball come down and sing “Auld Lang Syne” and toast out the old year and toast in the new. Thus we do join the rest of the humanity in the general revels for a little while.
Certainly, if you want to go out or populate Times Square, that’s fine too. Maybe you can explain the attraction. What do you do to celebrate? At any rate, Happy New Year! And I mean that as a prayer and as a blessing.
HT: Mary
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