Over in the Pit, there is a thread where a poster got all bent out of shape over the fact that her best friend was planning on leaving her NYE party before midnight to attend another party. She repeatedly stated how much it hurt that her best friend wouldn’t be spending this special moment with her.
How important is NYE to you? Pretty much since college days I thought it was pretty overblown. The good times always struck me as somewhat artificial and forced. And I never really liked driving around knowing how many other folk on the road were soused. Moreover, I tend to prefer going to bed well before midnight, and would far prefer waking up early and sober on New Year’s Day.
In past years when our kids were younger we went to kid-centered parties that celebrated NY at 9 p.m. This year some good friends invited us over. I think there will be 4 couples. I will not be drinking. And I suspect I’ll be pretty darned tired by the time midnight rolls around.
I love New Year, because it’s a (mostly) secular holiday. I hate Christmas. But I love New Year, because there’s no present-giving-angst, no “you must spend it with your family” philosophy - it’s just there so you can have a good time. So it’s an arbitary date. I do not care.
For the record, I am also going to two friends’ parties tomorrow night, leaving one before midnight. I figure it’s better than not seeing the first friend at all. And yes, I probably will drink. Not to excess, but I will. And another friend (yes, I have three!) wants to dress me up in angel wings and a halo and take incriminating pictures. It’s all good.
NYE not that big a deal to me, mostly because I’ve tended not to have “that special someone” to celebrate it with. I realize it’s a completely artificial date (any day could have been designated NYE, thatnk you very much Pope Gregory!) and that tends to blunt my enthusiasm a bit as well. I’ve tended in recent years to hang ouot with a small circle of friends and then after they crash head out to some bar or another. This year I do have a “special someone” (who will be meeting my friends for the first time NYE…and I may be meeting his family that same night…eep!) so I’m thinking I may be a little more enthused since I’ll be getting my new year’s kiss.
I enjoy New Year’s Eve more now that I’m classified as a geezer. We celebrate with my dad, sister, and niece, at my house, with moderate drinking and Marx Brothers movies. My sister doesn’t drink, so she’s the designated driver (although I must admit it makes me a bit nervous that they’re on the road at all). My husband doesn’t drink, and usually goes to bed shortly after midnight. I plan to take it easy on the drinks, as my FIL is dying and I’d hate to be really hung over when we get “the call”.
My friends/family and I don’t have any NYE traditions or so forth that might make the date a little more of a big deal for me, but I do like to at least spend it with my “someone special” or good friends at least. This year, unfortunately, most of my friends are staying home and doing nothing, and my SS is sick with the flu and prefers to be alone at home suffering. I HATE this, as I was sick with the flu Christmas eve at HIS house and he took care of me. I wish that he was like me and wanted me around when he was sick to take care of him. That is not the case however so I’m SOL! And not thrilled about it at all!! But thanks for letting me get that off my chest in here. I guess I’ll be kissing my kitty cat at midnite tomorrow…or else sleeping. FUN! I need chocolate…
When I used to drink more heavily and more frequently, we referred to NYE as “amateur’s night.” Worked at a liquor store and when we closed up we’d stay in the store and drink the more expensive bottles of champagne.
As I said before, big NYE parties often strike me as a little forced. Folks have such high expectations, that it is very hard for them to be met. Instead of just getting together and enjoying whatever happens, NYE is supposed to be “special.” And IME a greater percentage of NYE party attendees tend to get really drunk, compared to many other parties.
Not a big deal to me. When I was younger, staying up until Midnight was a HUGE deal and for that reason, next to Christmas, my favorite holiday. Now I can’t sleep at night, midnight is still considered early…and that’s the only reason I ever cared.
Oh damn, Dinsdale beat me to it! “Amateur night” indeed. Silly kids, trying to drink all day and all night just a few times a year. Leave that to us professionals.
I could care less. I can never stay up past 9:00 pm anyway, and I no longer drink. NYE seems to be strictly a drinking “holiday” anymore, and it’s kind of lame. YMMV, of course.
NYE = Amateur Drinker’s Night. Absolutely right on that. All the young-uns that don’t know how to pace themselves get blitzed and then try to drive home.
Back when I was in Chicago, the professional drinkers came out on St. Pat’s Day. Hmm… Is the river green from dye or puke? :eek:
I’ve never had much significance attached to NYE. This year, it looks like I’ll be on call, anyway.
New Years Eve is great! There’s no emotional significance; it’s just an excuse to throw down. I’m not a big drinker, but I love going to all the different parties and all the energy and excitement at big downtown events.
This year, I’ll be going to my sister-in-law’s for dinner, then out to see Southern Culture on the Skids and the Rebelles, a local burlesque troop. Yeehaw!!!
Nah, it’s no big deal. The big-deal NYE parties I’ve gone too were pretty lame. Everybody seemed to be trying too hard to live up to the glitzy stuff shown in commercials. Mostly they were too loud, I was tired and my shoes pinched. Blech.
For a while I had a close group of friends who mostly just hang out together and that was fun: good food, games, old movies, good talk and no pressure.
Nowadays I might crack a bottle of champagne at home, read, watch the tube if there’s something good on or dink around on the computer. I don’t take any particular note of midnight. If anything I mostly feel smug about being safely and comfortably at home.
Burundi: Very cool going to see SCOTS on NYE!! The day is pretty nice for us as we get together with some of our closest friends and spend the night eating like kings and queens, drinking, chatting, and generally spending time with those we choose to, rather than are obligated to. While there will be some significant imbibing, it’s taken on a much lesser role in the celebration than it used to and I’m fine with that. Noone will be driving, and there’s beds for everyone at our friends farmhouse. We do this every year and I must say I do look forward to it.
For me, it’s a big deal, because it’s also my birthday. As a little kid, I was left with a sitter on my birthday so my folks could go out and celebrate. As a teen, I was pressed into service to BE a sitter so others could go out and celebrate. Then I spent 15 birthdays working Amateur Night at the restaurant/bar trying to keep other people from celebrating too much. I’ve also had two close relatives and a dear friend who died on New Year’s Eve. So for many reasons, NYE is to me a time to gather those I love close and to “officially” remember that this life is not to be taken for granted.
We have an open house every year now on NYE. It’s a time for good friends and comfort food.
Count me in as another one who doesn’t really care one way or the other. As a non-dater, I hardly have that “special someone” to share the moment with. I don’t drink and I find the idea of starting off the year snockered off your ass to be totally hideous. I’ll sit at home and watch the ball drop in Times Square on TV, but once that’s done, it’s off to bed. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, either. I know I’m pretty much set in my ways, and if I do want to make a determined effort to change something about myself, I’ll commit to it right then and there.
Susan and I make a big deal out of it (tux and gown, hotel suite, big dinner, ball room dancing, etc.) because we like to treat ourselves every once in awhile. We splurge a couple of times a year and New Year’s Eve is one of those times.
NYE in Prague is the funnest, most exciting party time I have ever had- many years in a row. Y’know that 20 minute glow that starts at midnight and lasts until you’ve kissed and hugged your way through a party, toasting your toasts and wishing your wishes? Well that lasts for about 2 hours here. No lies, at 2am there will be fireworks, carousers and happy people all around.
And this year we will miss it yet again. Our daughter is sick. We had Grandma lined up and a nice club to go to where the owner was going to treat us nice. But no, kidcat is coughing, so I bought pizza fixins, a few fireworks and 2 bottles of Czech bubbly (great stuff, btw). We will watch “Mulholland Drive” and text message people at midnight. But it will be cool. We’ll make the best of it and probably get nekkid at some point. Whoo-hoo!
Personally, I’m all for NYE. There’s a great town near where my folks live, where everybody goes in fancy dress, and there’s a great party spirit in all the pubs, which spills out onto the streets, and it’s like the whole town just gets taken over for the night by a huge fancy dress party. I went there for several years, and was always guarenteed to bump into everybody from my year at school, and find a friend who lived in that town whose floor we could crash on. It was always fantastic.
But now most people I know have moved away from this quiet little corner of England, and by now have gone back to London or wherever to celebrate there, and I’m still staying with the family for a few days. So, tonight will be spent at the family hotel, where there will be a buffet and “disco” for paying guests and family friends. I’ll porbably be the youngest person there by about 20 years, but I like hanging out with my family, and there will be loads of delicious food, so no complaints here.
Nope, never really understood NYE. I don’t have a “significant other” so I have no connection to that part of the celebration. I agree with others that the parties always seem very forced; like an obligation. As a University student, one can go out and get drunk any night - minus the huge crowds. I usually go to bed around 3:00am anyway, so midnight is nothing special; and the whole concept of a New Year’s resolution is just stupid, IMO.
I need chocolate…