Musings on New Year

What with Christmas and all its build up, New Year very often gets overlooked, until the few days after Christmas when the high of Christmas and Boxing Day has died down and we start to look for our next big event, then it's like 'Woah, New Year, where can we go?  What can we do?  What shall I wear?'.

My personal experiences of New Year have never been magical.  In fact when I was young and single, the big 'amazing' night out planned usually turned out to be a big, expensive (and cold) flop.  For some reason, because you (and everyone else out that night) is anticipating a monumentus night, it rarely is.  Overcrowded, overpriced and over hyped what else is there to come away with other than disappointment?

 Image : goodlifevancouver.com

So when we had children and no longer really had the opportunity to go out for New Year, in reality that actually felt a bit of a relief.  Add into the mix that my children do not sleep through the night and making it past 10pm is a struggle, and if I do make it past the 22:00 hours, making it through the next day without falling asleep on my feet is impossible.  Thus for the last 3 years we have not bothered with NYE, I haven't even attempted to stay up any later than normal, more excited about getting up the next day and enjoying the start of a whole new year.

What New Year doesn't give in fantastic festivities however, it does give in hope for many I believe.  There is no better starting place for anything than the first day of a new year.  The opportunity to mentally shove a bad year out of the door slamming its behind far away and thinking 'this one WILL be better'.  Or to beautifully record a good year into the history books and think 'That was awesome, this one will be just as good'.  Whatever a NYE night I have had I don't think I have ever got up on January 1 and thought 'Hmpf bet this year will be as bad as the last' - what do you know, it seems I am a glass is half full person. 

 Image : Istockphoto.com

I love the gusto we start January 1 with (either immediately or once the hangover has worn off) the year seems long and for that day the year holds infinite possibilities.  Many write these down in the good old 'New Years Resolutions' tradition and even though those resolutions might not be fulfilled at least they started off in good stead.  When we do not achieve those things we hope to, most of the time it is things out of our control that mean they fall by the wayside (apart from 'do more exercise' that is usually a weekly fad that passes and as far as I know is a rolling item on every bodies yearly resolution list...).  Otherwise it is usually sad events we did just not see coming that obliterates the year, things that only fate / destiny / karma / God (delete as applicable to you) could control. 

I haven't made a 'resolutions' list for a while, I barely get time to make a shopping list, let alone one as frivolously as a 'NY Resolutions' list!  However as my determination of 'getting more done' has kicked in since this house move I am going to use the next few days, enjoying Christmas, but also giving New Year a look in.  It's time to think back over 2011 and neatly and articulately sum up the journey I have made throughout the year, think about the good (and the truly fantastic), the bad, the ugly (the latter two so I can acknowledge them and banish them away), garnish what I have learnt and keep it fresh in my mind and take note of what I still need to work on in 2012.  Then 2012, what would I like that to hold?  Well... I'll think about it and get back to you. 

Image : Momsbreak.com

Has this made you stop and think?  What are your NYE traditions and do you make 'resolutions' you try and stick by?  Has the meaning of NY changed to you since you had a family?

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