Since we have such varied traditions, I just wondered...

James and I almost came into the new year reading part 9 of Nan's "How I Spent my Christmas Vacation." We just lost track of time.

Once again, we celebrated the New Year with the kid's by celebrating when midnight came in another time zone. We tell them the truth--they're just too wound up to make it until midnight here. (Although I think they made it last year.) The toddler only made it until 8:15, but she didn't want to party.

We normally turn the TV on for the last few minutes of the year to watch them countdown at Times Square. We countdown, yell "Happy New Year", pray, and ditch the kids. I went to kiss them good-night last night, but they fell asleep before I got upstairs.

I miss the days of going to church on New Year's for a watchnight service. Such fond memories...

Elisabeth

I hesitate to admit it as a Scot but New Year has never been much of an occasion for me. Even going back to when I was a kid, it always struck me as being a somewhat pointless exercise.

I was never a party animal, so that was probably part of the reason it never engaged me. Stuart isn't either. And I spend quite a few of them on my own anyway, if Stuart's on duty. So these days it's never really anything more than a normal evening. We don't get in any special eats for dinner, but we do get some nibbles and maybe some wine. (These days, boringly, I tend to be just as happy drinking soda or non-alcoholic fruit drinks than anything with alcohol, so sometimes I'll just get Shloer or Ginger Ale instead.)

This year, I was in bed by ten. But that was mostly because we both came down with a nasty bit of flu right after Christmas and I'm still feeling poorly. But in any year, I'd go to bed when I felt like it, whether it was before midnight or after. Most times if it's after midnight, I'll be watching one of the channels which doesn't have a schedule devoted to 'the bells' or a DVD or have the TV off and will be listening to music and reading and will probably not even notice midnight has come and gone.

So pretty much a non-event all round. Christmas is the holiday for us at this time of year. That's the one I invest all my emotions and fun into.

LabRat

Another "nothing special" here, I'm afraid. As I said in another post the 30th was my brother-in-law's birthday and ten of us had an Indian meal then - about all I did yesterday was some shopping, writing, and watch the new years fireworks on TV. Today I've mostly been doing some computer maintainance and housekeeping chores etc.

We threw a party last night, and toasted it in with beer, cheez-its, and techno music. I knew I should have taken a firmer hand in the thing LOL. There would have been food or something, but alas, this is what happens when my guy friends throw a party.

JD
:p

As usual, I spent it at home with my husband and my mom, watching Dick Clark. We always look at each other and say how pitiful our party is, then at 12.01 we run to bed. Woo hoo...party on!

I will always remember the coverage in 2000 where on ABC for 24 hours, they showed the New Year's celebration in every time zone. After showing fireworks and a huge party in Moscow, they cut to a refugee camp in Africa, which was dead silent. The camera man and reporter were the only ones awake; the camera had the only source of light. The reporter noted that there was little food, no electricity, little to drink. "They've all gone to sleep," he said, "because they have nothing to celebrate."

That heartbreaking coverage in the midst of 24 hours of worldwide celebration will forever remind me to think of others during the holiday season, and to be grateful for what I have.

My back's been acting up (read: inflamed as hell, I could hardly walk) so I never made it to the party we were supposed to be going to....

My boyfriend went to bed at 10PM (wow, huh?) but the meds had me in "hyperdrive" so I couldn't sleep - I was at the computer when midnight arrived. I didn't even notice. I was working on a little image, which I finished at 4 AM and posted.

I have yet to have anyone actually wish me a happy new year, now that it's actually here. I swear.

For some reason, I'm not expecting this to be a great year... I hope you guys have a better one!

Well, we've always gone for something family orientated since my husband hates to dance... :rolleyes:

Last night we took the two kids out for a Chinese food feast and broke the news to them that we're seriously contemplating moving back to the West Coast since my husband has a job interview out there in two weeks. That yielded some pretty mixed results! Then came home for an evening of watching movies,checking out our potential new home city on-line, snacking and cuddling in front of the fireplace. Watched various party-goers walking past (bundled well against the cold), held the dogs' paws through some celebratory fireworks and toddled off to bed about 2 am. Seven years ago on New Years Eve we were driving all our worldly possessions to this area through a raging blizzard so being able to feel safe and warm is always a bonus on this anniversary!

I hung out with my aunts and cousins (the girls) and drank too much. Hands down my favorite group of people to be with. We watched the ball drop and toasted each other. Then today we had lunch together with black eyed peas and cabbage for luck. Good holiday.

What did I do? Edit my latest part of my WIP. Wake up my three-year-old girl to watch the fireworks. She was so tired that I had to hold her tight to keep her steady, which was quite funny. Then I put her to bed and read some more because I couldn't sleep. Stupid party-goers. Stupid fireworks. Stupid neighbours...

Happy New Year to everyone!

Tell me about it. We had howling gales of 80 mph+ and lashing rain on New Year's Eve, which thankfully put paid to any of that nonsense. Homer is terrified of them and if I could catch them, I could cheerfully go out and wring the necks of anyone setting them off in our vicinity for upsetting my baby so.

Still, did feel sorry for all those revellers who missed out on official displays which had to be cancelled all over the UK as a result of the foul weather.

LabRat

My family and me went to church for the watchnight service until midnight. So we had dinner at my parents's house. We went to bed around two AM because I couldn't keep my eyes opened some more.

I hate fireworks. My poor dogs get scared to death.

A belated Happy New Year for everybody!

I spent the evening at my sisters watching her and her friends get stinkin drunk. And then watched them discuss during the last 1/2 hr of the party discussing where the road blocks/checks were and how to avoid them! Argh! So glad I never got into that scene. Fortunately the Bears game was on most of the night (as sad and pathetic as it was!), so there was something to do!

Jo

I'd have had to pick up the phone and call the cops on them. This is one of my major bugbears that I can't take any prisoners on. I've had to listen to too many gruesome details about Stuart's working day spent mopping up the pieces that result from this anti-social, totally irresponsible behaviour to feel sanguine about it or cut anyone any slack over it, unfortunately.

LabRat

Couldn't have said it better myself, Labby. I had it easy and didn't even need to call a taxi or rouse a DD — a few of my friends live in the same apartment complex just a couple of buildings away from each other. After the party at one apartment, which involved a lot of catching up amongst us all, watching the ball drop and endless entertainment from Wii bowling, the three of us who put away three bottles of wine among ourselves just tottered back to their apartment to crash.

I went to a party and I met a really cute guy who has also asked me out ...the problem is that I'm only 21 and I just discovered he's 18...I don't know what to do...he's as old as my sister uff he's really cute and nice..

Hey, Lolly, age isn't a problem. I'm 28 and my husband is 24. Oh, and my little sister is 25. When we met I was 23 and he was 19. I didn't know how old he was and I was taken aback when I found it. But finally my heart won me over. We've been married for nearly four years now, and I've never regretted this decision.

Usually New Year's Eve is an occasion for my friends and me to party together. We generally have a nice meal, then we play board games or, this year, one of them had brought his PS2 with some karaoke DVDs and we had fun with those. Normally we were supposed to go out this year, but the rain and wind put a damp on our enthusiasm!

Kaethel

You're right and yesterday we were out for the first time: I had a really grat time with him...so I'looking for an other date!!

I was at home with my mom and we watched some DVDs together. Later we opened the last bottle of champagne my mother bought in France two years ago. Very tasty, BTW!

I'll add my two cents to Lolly's thoughts on dating younger men- go for it!! My husband is nearly six years younger than I am and when we first began dating I was thinking it was nuts to even consider going out with a guy who not only had little in common with me but was also much younger...truth be told we won each other over in a very short time and in May we'll have been married for eighteen years. If I'd listened to my inner doubts or took the dubious attitudes of certain friends and family members to heart I'm sure things would have turned out differently. Age is mostly in your head anyhow!!

I'm happy for you, Lolly. Go for it!

I make it a point not to go out with anyone more than five years older or younger than I am. My mom is 2 years older than my dad, and that's ok by me. But my sister (who's 22) has been dating a 35-year-old for almost 2 years now. My dad tried to set ME up with this guy he knows from church who's in his 30's. He seemed nice enough (he didn't talk much at dinner--Dad invited him over when we were planning to have a bunch of company), but 1-he was too quiet and 2-he was a bit old for my tastes (I'm only 23).

Anyway, to get back on topic:

For New Year's, we usually go to my Grandma's house and have munchies until the ball drops. Then, we go home. This year, I couldn't go though--I was sick. What a way to start a new year.

Well, I haven't read this whole thread, but I'm pretty sure I posted feedback at something like 12:04 am.... (In other words, I wasn't partying.)

~~~~~~~

Yes, I would have done the same - especially considering that I’ve worked as a nurse in the emergency room on New Year’s Eve / New Year’s.


As long as he isn’t considered underage then go for it, Lolly. (In the States, he would be of age, but I don’t know about Italy.) ((I’m glad you went out with him!!))


My best friend was 23 and her husband was 19 when they married. They’ve been married now for 18 years or so….


Maybe he’s just shy, Darcy. Give him another chance. You might not regret it.