New Year's Eve

My experiences of, and feelings about New Year's Eve have changed with each decade.  There were times when I had a deep longing for all the parties and excitement and drinking and gala events.  

For whatever reasons, (probably many different ones) I never seemed to get invited to the party.  As a youth, that might be because I was the 'preacher's kid', and was excluded for that reason.  Later, I might have missed out on the invitations because I was the preacher.  In between, I had small children, or various other responsibilities that kept me from the party.   I do vividly recall early on how much I thought I was missing!

As time progressed,  it mattered less and less to me, that's for sure.  I do have some fond memories of inviting another couple or two to our house for games.   But drinking has never been a huge part of my socialization.  Now, I certainly do engage in an occasional glass of wine, and in my early 20's, did my share of partying, but I guess, party girl, I am not.   When I watch (on television)  the ball drop in Times Square, with all those people, I know without a single doubt, that is about the last place on earth I would want to be!

Being Sixty Plus makes missing New Year's Eve parties matter not at all.  Some years, to tell the truth, I've gone to bed before midnight.   Other years, I've stayed up, but Gerry has gone to bed earlier.  This year, we both stayed up together and kissed in the new year.

It was very gratifying to read on Facebook that others of my contemporaries had similar experiences---some stayed awake, others didn't make it until twelve o'clock.

Now, whatever gala parties I might be missing,  I grieve not at all.    Happy am I to stay at home and greet the new day, which doesn't even seem terribly different from the previous one.