A lot of people hate New Year’s Eve. They say that it never lives up to the hype and that it always sucks. If it sucks, it’s basically because you’re setting it up to suck. All you have to do on NYE is have fun. That’s it. You don’t need to complain about crowds, traffic, or how it’s always a let down. Just put on your party dress and have fun. Even if all you’re doing is sitting at home having your own BH 90210 marathon, the same rules apply: just have fun. “Oh who cares, it’s just another night” you say. SO WHO CARES, JUST MAKE IT FUN. P.S. Fun.
Remember Y2K? Did you and your brother also run to the computer after midnight to make sure it was still working/hadn’t blown up/was not haunted? I remember my family threw a party and my mom bought pink tiaras boldly proclaiming “2000!” for me and my friend Michelle. My outfit was regrettable. I had braces. But so did everyone. And most importantly, the computer clock flipped from 12/31/99 to 1/1/00 and no one died.
When I was younger it was a big deal to do something on New Year’s. My mom and dad would sometimes go out and I was allowed to invite a friend to sleep over. But evidently NYE was a big thing for other peoples’ parents because my friends could never come over. But one year my friend Jessica did. We stayed up late, watched the Big Gay Al episode of South Park (that was a big deal, I was “too young” to watch South Park) and then we decided to call a psychic hotline to get some great tips about the upcoming year. We wound up spending $99.oo, which to me at the time seemed like an astronomical amount of money. My mom supported this theory by placing the bill on my desk with the amount circled and an angry “ALMIE!!!!!” scrawled next to it for emphasis.
The year I had my first “serious” boyfriend he flew in to spend New Year’s with me. My friend had a 1920s themed party so he wore a vest and a tie. My friend said he looked like the valet. It was still better than the party I went to of my first “boyfriend”‘s (different from the other quoted boyfriend) who saw me and basically had the attitude of, “You taste like a burger I don’t like you anymore.” We’re friends now though.
Part of the problem with the inevitable NYE letdown is that somehow this holiday turned into the Adult Swim of holidays. Someone convinced us that if you don’t show up to a party with a date and you don’t kiss at 2 seconds to midnight and you don’t spend the rest of the evening making passionate slow motion love to George Michael’s Careless Whisper then you have failed at having a good year. It’s not true. You don’t need a date on New Year’s Eve. Seriously. I give you permission to spend the night with your friends or by yourself or with your cat as long as you feel good about it! Don’t set yourself up for sad times. Set yourself up for fun times. It’s easier. All you have to do is be open.
So come on, you can tell me: what are you doing for NYE?
Never Forget You — The Noisettes
I’m going to Minneapolis with my boyfriend and our friend to see a couple of bands. I sense it it’s going to be a disaster, though. But see? Now I’m not listening to your advice . . .
COME ON CJ, GET IT TOGETHER. Why wouldn’t it be awesome??
You’re right! Who knows. Maybe Prince will turn up.
I’m staying home for the first time in my adult life. I’m having short ribs for dinner. I’m getting drunk most likely, unless I eat enough short ribs. I’m dressing up. Oh yeah, my boyfriend will be there, too. We will probably watch Netflix, and maybe the traffic circle out our window.
I CAN’T WAIT!
Seriously – I’m really exicted.
FUCK that sounds awesome!
I’m parking in a vacant lot and having a picnic on the hood of my car while blasting songs by Journey and Van Halen. It’s gonna be awesome.
LEGIT JEALOUS.
I’ll be introducing a date to my awkward friends from high school. I think my alcohol levels and how awesome it will be have a correlation. Pretty stoked on that.
Bbq’ing steaks, eating good food and drinking red wine with my sister!
Ah yes, the subtle Wet Hot reference. I believe I now adore you even more.
Hey kid, eat the fucking corn.
Oddly enough I have a date for New Year’s Eve’s Eve, aka tomorrow, but I have no idea what my boyfriend’s doing New Year’s Eve itself. I’ll celebrate it the way I usually celebrate it – being too paranoid of drunks on the road to drive anywhere.
I’m in Asheville, NC at a week-long event called Lindy Focus. On New Year’s Eve from 11:30pm – 12:30am, there’ll be a couple of live bands playing (possibly battling) and there’ll be a countdown to midnight. I will think on the advice I’ve gotten from this blog and will wear a nice black suit and a skinny black and red tie and some freakin’ shiny patent leather black shoes. I shall dance and party and possibly kiss someone or possibly just hug friends and I don’t even know.
But I’ll be having FUN!
I’m going to rock my teal tights & sing loudly to every song they play. Yup. (which really, i just hope it is “Buttoms Up” by trey songz over & over again. my #1 goal for 2011 is memorizing nicki minaj’s entire part…)
woot!
I am making all my favorite foods (mainly a pizza) and rocking out by watching a movie while sipping my favorite drink, Nuvo. I had plans for a party but I was someone’s date & the person bailed on the party, so I’m kickin’ it solo and I’m super ok with it!
My sisters and I are hosting a Murder Mystery Night for some mutual friends. It was a hit two years ago, and the people demanded it once again!
I’m putting on my party dress, drinking champagne and dancing the night away with some of my favorite people. Who needs a date? Not this girl!
“Someone convinced us that if you don’t show up to a party with a date and you don’t kiss at 2 seconds to midnight and you don’t spend the rest of the evening making passionate slow motion love to George Michael’s Careless Whisper then you have failed at having a good year. It’s not true.”
aaaaaaaaaahahahahahaaaaaaaa!!!
although i have a fiance now and will be kissing him at midnight…it is NOT a must. if you show up to a new years party single, you have the chance to find the cutest single boy/girl there any kiss THEM at midnight!! i once kissed a straight boy, a straight girl, a gay boy, and a gay girl all at one new years party…good good slutty slutty times!!
no matter what you do…happy new years!! 2011!!
That sounds like the best New Year’s ever.
I totally wound up doing this.
I’m staying in with a few glasses of wine, tivo’d episodes of Gossip Girl and Dexter and junkfood. Sounds like a good night to me!
“We wound up spending $99.oo, which to me at the time seemed like an astronomical amount of money. My mom supported this theory by placing the bill on my desk with the amount circled and an angry “ALMIE!!!!!” scrawled next to it for emphasis.”
lolllllllllll I totally remember thatttttttttt
LOL YOU WERE THERE, WEREN’T YOU? AHAHAHAHAHHAAA
Oh man I had to work once on New Year’s day, but not that early. You need to celebrate your NYE tomorrow night then! The new year starts whenever you want it to, fuck calendars.
Spent NYE playing Wii and hotly debating the possibility of the bimbo presenting the “countdown special” on TV being high on crack.
great post almie! i completely agree. i’ve spent a few NYE’s bundled up with a couple bottles of champagne, my cat and When Harry Met Sally. and guess what, they were AWESOME!
This was the attitude I took for this New Years, and it works! I had the best NYE I’ve had in a long time.
Yay!!!!!!! That makes me happy.
I had more fun on the NYEs spent with my friends than the ones spent with my boyfriend anyway. It’s all just expectations. This year I had no plans until the last minute, but then decided to just do whatever and have fun. I went to a bar with my boyfriend and a couple of friends. It was the most fun NYE so far.