How long has it been the usual thing that everyone drinks too much on the evening before the new year? Is it something recent, or did the Romans “party like it’s Zero Ninety-Nine”?
I don’t think it’s a usual thing at all. I think it’s a party thing. Younger people like to party, younger people drink, it’s a common night for people to have a party… there you go. I (as an older adult) went to a party, had a good time, had maybe two or three glasses of wine. No getting schnockered for me or anyone I was with for that matter.
It goes back as far as recorded human history. If anything, the celebrations have gotten more tame. Ancient Mesopotamians got blasted for days on end.
Depends on what holiday you’re specifically talking about, I’d assume, and what calendar you’re using. If you want to generalize and talk about the solstice, alcohol has been involved since it was discovered. As for celebrating the end of the year, I have no idea.