Well, its New Year’s Eve.  It’s not a holiday that I’ve celebrated for many years… When I was young, it was an excuse to stay up late.  Then, in college, it was an excuse to have a party (as if college kids need one, lol).  Then, out and working and getting married and buying homes and starting families, we all took turns hosting New Year’s Eve parties.  Celebrating the last year, ringing in the new one, spending time with close friends marking important passages and beginnings…

We lived well, families grew, and kids started to grow up.  The dangers of drunk drivers weighed heavily as well, and although I was not going to get drunk and drive I was more and more cognizant of the fact I would be on the road with those who were going to. My friends and I went out, often. New Year’s started to seem like an excuse to drink instead of a reason to celebrate.  Too many were overindulging, going out with the express purpose to get drunk.  Not to have fun, or party, but to get knee walking drunk. Amateurs on Amateur Night. It was losing a lot of its ‘charm’ and it was more important to me to be with my kids that night than out celebrating with people who just wanted to have an excuse to get drunk.  I started staying home; I’d put my daughter to sleep and then wait up to see the ball in Time’s Square drop…

… after a while though,  it seemed like an obligation. Something we all celebrated because we ‘should’ celebrate it.  I had long since thought the TV shows were pretty lame, and while we occasionally had friends over to celebrate it with us, more and more often it was a quiet night literally and figuratively just watching the clock.

It clearly is not ‘my’ holiday.

Don’t get me wrong.  Although I get up early, I am not one to go to bed early. I enjoy going out and staying up and having a party or attending a party.. but New Year’s seems very contrived and forced.  Sure, it is a real holiday – maybe more so than many others – and I’m sure that although many share similar sentiments, it is my issue.  Maybe once my kids are all grown and out celebrating with their friends I’ll start having a New Year’s Party again, lol.  Until then, I like what I did this year:  My wife and I went out LAST night.  We checked in to a hotel, watched a movie, talked, and reconnected. We went out to eat and dined at a nice restaurant in downtown Boston and were the only ones there.  We went back to the hotel lounge, had a couple cocktails and went back to our room.  Tonight, I’ll keep my fingers crossed my own daughter (who will likely be celebrating with her friends) remains safe while I say good night to my younger child, and then will turn in.

Maybe I’ll even stay up to midnight.