Do you know how to have fun?

Celebrate the New Year with People

By Ed Vasicek

The New Year's holiday is a different sort of animal.   In sharp contrast to Christmas and Easter (with their religious overtones), or our patriotic holidays, New Year's Day just "is."    The philosopher postulated, "I think therefore I am;" my version is, "I am confused, therefore I am."   Either way, the philosopher just "is," I "am," and the New Year's holiday exists simply because it is.

People in many cultures celebrate the first day of their New Year (the Jewish "Rosh Hashana" and the famous Chinese New Year are two of many examples).  It seems instinctive to welcome major markers of time with celebration.  We rejoice in the prospects of another year of life.

To people who think celebrating means getting loaded with alcohol or high on drugs, New Year's Eve offers an excuse to do just that.   Others celebrate the New Year by renting a mountain of video tapes and bowing down before the shrine of the sacred television set.   Each to his own--that is the American way.   But in my book, New Year's Eve is about enjoying people and gathering together for fun.  More specifically, good clean fun. 

I know, I know.  I am always harping about the importance of social connectedness.  I confess: "Vasicek likes to gripe about how our society has exchanged its former reputation for group participation and traded it in for isolation in front of the tube or computer."  Maybe it's a crusader instinct:  I like being around happy people, and happy people are participators.    Loners are often miserable, and they sometimes attempt to spread their misery to you and I.  That's just how it is folks.   In my small schmoozing way, I want to help change things.

I view New Year's Eve as a choice opportunity to connect socially.   To motivate you to make New Year's Eve a time to schmooze, let me share a couple New Year's Eve memories.

One December 31^st a few years back, we realized that our children were old enough to stay awake into the wee hours.  So we phoned four other available couples and threw together a casual New Year's Eve celebration.   We gorged ourselves on all sorts of junk food (including pizza muffins) and played board games and euchre into the wee hours.  We had a blast.    It didn't cost much, didn't take much planning, and its spontaneous nature made it even more fun.

Just last year we planned a New Year's Eve party at our church (it was so much fun we are doing it again this year).  Folks brought appetizers, junk food, and board games.  We bundled up for the stroll downtown and melded into the large group anticipating the arrival of the New Year.  Okay, so watching a ball drop is illogical-but it's fun!   We tooted our horns and wildly shook our noisemakers.   Did I mention that I wore my tuxedo tee shirt?   We returned to the church building and enjoyed fun music, including the extremes of the audible spectrum:  a tuba and piccolo duet!   Our piccolo player then yodeled for us!    We rallied around the guitar and sang all four verses of Auld Lang Syne.  What a time we had.

There are many ways to celebrate New Year's Eve.   We have friends (just a bit older than the wife and I) who are attending a big dance at the Senior Citizens' Center.  Some families plan a late night gathering.   Several churches besides ours offer a wholesome party.

But if you have no plans for this New Year's Eve and the above does not grip you, how about trying that old Vasicek trick?   Call up some friends and invite them over.  Tell them to bring some board games, a 2 liter bottle of soda pop, and junk food.   Make a pot of chili and enjoy some good clean fun.

Studies show that personal happiness is directly correlated to the depth and breadth of our social relationships.    If you are serious about a "Happy New Year," then start socializing.