New Years Eve

[Old Rogue]

Spent the evening with our #2 daughter, her fiance, and his parents. They grilled rib eyes and we had a very nice meal. Guess I'm showing my age, got home around 10, fell asleep on the couch, woke up around 11:30 and went to bed without seeing the ball drop.

 

[sheeplady]

Ended up stripping paint (me) and wiring (husband) until about 9:30PM, showered, called my parents, watched the first part of the Twin Towers Lord of the Rings movie while sipping mulled wine, then watched the ball drop. A good, productive, fun day.

 

[pgoat]

Rang it in with two good friends, good beer, champagne at midnight and watching the Dick Clark thingy on TV. Just wore jeans and a tee but had a good fedora on hand. The town was hopping, a nice mildly boisterous vibe out on the streets.

 

[Tomasso]

but when the New Year rang in and we were surrounded by people kissing, that was a bit awkward lol

I would have smooched you up just for the halibut....

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I would have smooched you up just for the halibut....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRV03zQkBas

 

[Lily Powers]

We went downtown for an early dinner, watched the local NYE parade and visited with friends. Really nice community/neighborhood vibe - lots of families and people we knew who came downtown to check out the scene. All went well till I greeted the Chief of Police with a hug - he was in uniform and as I moved my hand off his shoulder, the point on one of the gold stars punctured my hand and II started bleeding. I figure that's gotta be good for one free get-out-of-jail-free card!

Cheers to everyone for a wonderful new year.

 

[rue]

I would have smooched you up just for the halibut....

:kiss:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRV03zQkBas

lol

 

[rue]

We went downtown for an early dinner, watched the local NYE parade and visited with friends. Really nice community/neighborhood vibe - lots of families and people we knew who came downtown to check out the scene. All went well till I greeted the Chief of Police with a hug - he was in uniform and as I moved my hand off his shoulder, the point on one of the gold stars punctured my hand and II started bleeding. I figure that's gotta be good for one free get-out-of-jail-free card!

Cheers to everyone for a wonderful new year.

Yikes! I hope the cut wasn't too bad Lily!

 

[Marzena]

Had the time of my life in the Holiday Inn style, as hoped for. All the 30 yards of a billowing 50s style chiffon petticoat worked hard and did they enhance the rock and roll!

 

[fortworthgal]

We had a great evening - went to a gun show during the morning, then home for a late brunch and relaxing. Got cleaned up (husband wore a tuxedo & fedora, I wore a long evening gown), and headed downtown for a big band concert by the symphony. Box seats & cocktails beforehand. Then we walked through downtown to a steakhouse for 10:30 dinner reservations. More cocktails, split a porterhouse & potatoes au gratin, and rang in the New Year with champagne, party hats, noisemakers, and a balloon drop there in the restaurant. A good time had by all.

 

[kyboots]

Wow! Sounds everyone had a great time. I had to work, very high census so asked to help out and got home at 0300 New Year's morning. Slept 6 hours turned around and went back to work for another 12. What a working way to start the New Year Whew!--John

 

[TidiousTed]

Had a great New Year's Eve, lots of nice people, lots of good food and drink and when the clock turned 12 we turned off all the lights, laying the farm in total darkness and started up the fire works (I love fireworks). But since we've had the house full of people since the 23rd I must admitt that it is very, very nice to be just my girlfriend and me now that the last one of them has left for home

 

[GHT]

Resurrecting this thread rather than start a new one. Thanks to all of you for the prayers and messages of goodwill following Tina's heart surgery last August. The lady continues to make a recovery, slowly, but sometimes, she will have a bad day. Her surgeon explained all that, adding that the internal bruising throughout her chest will take a long time to recover.

A couple of special friends will be joining us at our house for the traditional Christmas Day lunch. They are going to join us at The Christmas morning service too, and if the weather cooperates we might all go in the old MG.

The care that Tina must take over her heart has meant that dancing, a pastime that we both enjoy, has been off limits, but she enjoys watching others, so on New Year's Eve many of our friends will be getting together to see in 2025 in style.

The popular seaside town of Bournemouth is about a twenty minute drive from our home. The Bournemouth Pavilion is where we will join our friends. The Pavilion has a theatre, a dance floor and a magnificent restaurant.

The event will be much like it was before Tina's surgery, a gathering of good company, music of the era that we so enjoy, good food and a sociable get together. But no dancing, for us, now that's going to take some will power. given that our entertainment will be provided by a Swing/Jazz/Boogie Band that always fills the dance floor. https://www.boogiebumpers.com/
If you have any plans for the holidays, do come and share them with us. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year TFL.

 

[tonyb]

I can see how people who enjoy dancing and a bit of bubbly would find New Year’s Eve perhaps the best night on the calendar. But for us well-practiced lushes (as I was, before giving it up entirely 18 years ago) and who worked in “hospitality” enterprises (bartenders, wait staff, etc.), NYE was referred to as “Amateur Night.” The days after Christmas but before NYE were generally pleasant, though, what with the stores and such still in their seasonal finery and the last-minute shopping and all that hustle and bustle in the books for another year.

 

[Zombie_61]

I don't wish to be a "buzz kill", but I grew up in a house with an alcoholic father and an alcoholic/addict older sister. That being the case, I could never acquire a taste for partying and ingesting certain things that would/could somewhat alter my senses, so I never really understood the fascination with New Year's Eve. Oh, sure, my late wife and I still dressed up a bit and joined the crowds in celebration regularly, but I never understood the need to celebrate what is essentially "just another day" out of the rest of the year the way many people do (and, in fact, have known more than a few people who looked forward to New Year's Eve as if it were the second coming, yet could barely remember it the day after because they had indeed indulged too much). ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Edward]

My wife worked NYE in pubs and social clubs years ago. I gather it was often difficult as many did set themselves up with such big expectations the night never lived up to. Add in melancholic reflections on the disappointments of the year gone and often alcohol in excess.... messy.

I've never been one for NYE. One way or another, I've existed in a world where my life has been driven by the academic year since 1978, so the change in the calendar year is latgely insignificant to me. Have gone out for the night in the past just as an excuse to get dressed up and have fun, but stopped that in recent years as it got too expensive and peoplely. Last couple of years I've taken to sleeping through the shift in the year. We live in central London, but I'm a deep sleeper...

 

[GHT]

I don't wish to be a "buzz kill", but I grew up in a house with an alcoholic father and an alcoholic/addict older sister. That being the case, I could never acquire a taste for partying and ingesting certain things that would/could somewhat alter my senses, so I never really understood the fascination with New Year's Eve. Oh, sure, my late wife and I still dressed up a bit and joined the crowds in celebration regularly, but I never understood the need to celebrate what is essentially "just another day" out of the rest of the year the way many people do (and, in fact, have known more than a few people who looked forward to New Year's Eve as if it were the second coming, yet could barely remember it the day after because they had indeed indulged too much). ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Is need the right verb? Desire or want might be better. Living a life by the clock, going to work in order to pay the bills. Raising a family and as my late father liked to describe life: "Keeping the wolves from the door." It's all pressure without let up. So an end of year party is an opportunity to just forget those pressures and enjoy, for tomorrow that grindstone beckons.

My wife worked NYE in pubs and social clubs years ago. I gather it was often difficult as many did set themselves up with such big expectations the night never lived up to. Add in melancholic reflections on the disappointments of the year gone and often alcohol in excess.... messy.

I've never been one for NYE. One way or another, I've existed in a world where my life has been driven by the academic year since 1978, so the change in the calendar year is latgely insignificant to me. Have gone out for the night in the past just as an excuse to get dressed up and have fun, but stopped that in recent years as it got too expensive and peoplely. Last couple of years I've taken to sleeping through the shift in the year. We live in central London, but I'm a deep sleeper...

The cost of living in London is why I accepted a promotion that sent me seventy miles up the M1, but I did miss all the social times and events that London had to offer.

Could the general party atmosphere surrounding New Year's Eve originated in Scotland? Where New Year's Eve is celebrated with parties, balls, street parties, and live music events. The country's capital city, Edinburgh, hosts several events every year, including a live concert and a torchlight procession.

The song: "Auld Lang Syne," usually sung right after midnight on Hogmanay. was penned by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788 as a response to Scotland and England forming the UK in 1701. Burns included several traditional Scots phrases in the song to ensure Scotland's language and culture would be remembered. For example, the word "jo" means "dear," and "fiere," translates to "friend," the organisation states. These days, the song is known all over the world and many Scottish people sing it while linking arms to ring in the new year.

The exact origins of the word "Hogmanay" are unknown, but it was thought to have first become popular after Mary, Queen of Scots, returned to Scotland from France in 1561. The history of Hogmanay celebrations is complicated. New Year's Eve was thought to have become a popular holiday in Scotland after 1640, when Christmas was banned due to its links to Roman Catholicism.

Did you know that Christmas was illegal in Scotland for 400 years and only became a public holiday in 1958? Before Christmas was reinstated, Scottish citizens turned to Hogmanay for festivities but the traditions that ensued are still popular to this day. For example, first footing traditionally involves bringing coal to someone's door for good luck.

So now you know all about New Year's Eve. All that banning of any kind of festivity is probably why The Scots became prolific in the production of whisky. Curious isn't it? Catholic teaching tells of walking on water, but you do tend to stumble on whisky!

Happy New Year to all my friends here on The Lounge.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Happy New Year to you and the Mrs, GHT, and to all the Loungers who helped make my year a bit more fun and interesting. May 2025 be a good year for everyone.

We are in Vienna to celebrate the holidays with my first born, who still lives here. Vienna traditionally celebrates new years with a free for all of unofficial fireworks that goes from sunset to the wee hours. Crazy times! I doubt I’ll make it till midnight. But then again, we’ve got nothing to prove. I happily leave it to the youngsters.

Happy New Year!