New Years Eve

[Kieran]

What's your plans?

Party at home? Go out? Stay in and watch TV? Ignore it? Write a long list of resolutions?

Whatever you do, Happy New Year!

 

[brokenshoelace]

As always...I have no idea. I literally tend to know what I'm doing on New Year's Eve the night before, sometimes even on the day of.

 

[Riotbeard]

Not sure. I am going to Charleston, S.C., but I am not sure what my friends have planned. Happy New Years everyone!

 

[shawnbm]

It's always a night with the family; we usually fine at a favorite restaurant and then are home by ten or so. Sparkling wine is consumed, along with grapes at midnight (a tradition I learnt whilst living in Madrid many moons ago). A little tele and then a glass of brandy before nodding off at the start if the new year! Get up on the first day of the new year and head to mass. I've got to get my mind right to commence the new year.

 

[Kieran]

Good stuff, brother! And I know that tradition, I've been in Madrid on New Year's Eve - 12 grapes as the bell strikes. I think I managed six.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Working till 6 pm or so...having a bite somewhere with the Missus, probably in bed by 11...one eye opens at around 12pm, wake the wife up to wish her a happy new year, get ignored and pushed away, go back to bed and try to forget how bad the last year was and wish for a better one for the next.


Happy and a healthy new years to everyone.

 

[Kieran]

Sorry to hear that this year was a bad one for you, Murat - Happy New Year to you and your missus, here's looking for better in 2014! :hug :celeb:

 

[kskate2]

I make turkey chili w/ all the fixins and host game night or it may be my friend's turn to host. This year I'm visiting. We drink sparkling cider and pause the games for a few min to watch the ball drop in Times Square.

Happy New Year and Good Tidings to all.

 

[DarthFed]

Not sure what I'm doing yet. Last year's NYE was a rare profitable trip to the casino. I haven't gone too crazy the last few years now and would like to remedy that if possible. Could end up going to the university and party with some fellow "old" friends and the young crowd.

Happy New Years to all, hope 2014 is a good one!

 

[Iona16]

Do any of you have New Year traditions - family or cultural etc?

We Scots don't call it New Year's Eve. For us it's Hogmanay. As a family we tend to keep with Scottish traditions. On the 31 December the whole house is cleaned. That is never fun. The underlying belief is to clear out the vestiges of the old year, have a clean break and welcome in the New Year on a happy note. At midnight the man of the house is supposed to open the back door to let the old year out and then open the front door of the house to let in the new year.

An integral part of the Hogmanay partying is to welcome friends and strangers, with warm hospitality to wish everyone a Guid New Year. 'First footing' (that is, the 'first foot' in the house after midnight) is still common in Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be a dark-haired male stranger - this harks back to the days of the Vikings, when a blond-haired stranger arriving in the middle of the night wasn't good news. Female first footers are said to be unlucky - redheads the unluckiest of them all. I would have to ensure that I'm at my mother's before midnight. I would be regarded as a very 'unlucky' first foot.

The first-foot is expected to bring suitable gifts to ensure good luck throughout the year. A lump of coal - for warmth. Cake or biscuits - to ensure the household never goes hungry. Salt - to bring wealth. Most people tend to bring whisky and shortbread these days.

On the 31 December we don't have dinner as just before midnight we will sit down for a family meal - steak pie or venison is probably the more traditional meal. As the bells ring out for the New Year we will sing Auld Lang Syne. Our version is slightly different to what most English speakers will sing.

Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o' thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne!

The Scots may seem a sentimental lot who hark back to the past, but we also look to the future and on that note I'd like to leave you with this Scottish toast:

"A guid new year to ane an a
An mony may ye see"​

Which translates to English from Scots as

"A good New Year to one and all, and many may you see."​

 

[Riotbeard]

Interesting stuff Iona!

In the U.S. South, we are supposed to eat black eyed peas on New Years Eve. Also in my family, a male is supposed to go outside after midnight for good luck.

 

[Kieran]

Hey Iona,

Are there a lot of ads in Scottish newspapers seeking tall dark strangers for New Year's Eve?

Sounds like you's have it just about right - enjoy, and happy new year!

 

[Kieran]

Interesting stuff Iona!

In the U.S. South, we are supposed to eat black eyed peas on New Years Eve. Also in my family, a male is supposed to go outside after midnight for good luck.

Interesting the things we do for good luck. As Shawn said above, in Madrid they eat twelve grapes. You eat black eyes peas. Any particular number?

 

[Cosmo]

Happy New Year to everyone on the board! I'm not here much anymore, but I'm still watching my man Roger - hope he will have a great 2014!!

 

[Kieran]

Happy New Year, Cosmo, great to see you again! :hug

 

[Moxie]

I'm keeping my door open for the tall, dark stranger. That would be lucky! And, as Iona says:

"A guid new year to ane an a
An mony may ye see"

Happy 2014 to all my Tennis Frontier friends!

 

[Kieran]

Happy new year, folks!

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Back home in Turkey, we used to put on brand new underwear at midnight.

 

[Kieran]

Back home in Turkey, we used to put on brand new underwear at midnight.

Then take them off again the following New Year's Eve? :gross: :wave

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

Back home in Turkey, we used to put on brand new underwear at midnight.

lol wut ? :laydownlaughing: :s

what sort of wind-up is that ?..you cannot be serious ?.