What are your plans for this New Year's Eve?

[MichaelB]

Thank you all for helping celebrate DW's birthday!

She always says she doesn't want to do anything, but that afternoon she'll change her mind and I'll end up scrambling for something. So far it's worked out pretty well. If we do go out it'll be the usual dinnertime, we'll be home safe and sound (and probably sleeping) for the New Year.

 

[Totoro]

Amsterdam is a war zone during new years .. legal and not so legal fireworks all over the place. It's scary to go outside.

So I decided to go to a country where they don't celebrate new years (Sri Lanka).

 

[Midpack]

I have my wife conditioned that we do not go out for any of the following holidays:
New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day.

NYE I could see, but I wouldn't even bring up saving money on Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, her Birthday or "our" Anniversary with DW. She puts up with me 365 days/year, so it seems like a screaming bargain to overpay to show DW a good time 4 days/year. Apparently DW has trained me (without me having a clue) far more successfully than any foolish, misguided attempts I've made to "condition" her. YMMV

 

[braumeister]

Haven't gone out on NYE since I was in my 20s. Amateur night, indeed!
It just isn't worth it, in so many ways.

Once in a while, a party at a friend's house, but only if it's within 10 miles.

 

[RetiredAndFree]

Our 'usual' has been to go to a fairly nearby ballroom dancing and dinner event. Not too terribly pricey at $50 a person, and a very nice, romantic way to end the year, though quite often we'll leave around 11:00 PM because we're tired and ready to head for home. I find the ringing in of the New Year itself to be not very important. I actually prefer being fresh enough to enjoy the Rose Parade the next day, usually via TV/streaming, but every so often in person.

This year, however, we are driving about five miles from home to an RV park, where our RV club will be spending the holiday. Too close to home to make it worth our while to pull out the trailer and join them, but close enough to zip over for the NYE festivities. The idea of sitting around a blazing campfire and drinking champagne with a group of good people sounds rather nice for a change.

 

[Ronstar]

We'll hunker down at home, watch some tv, maybe a couple of movies. Certainly not as exciting as a few years ago when I took a nose dive through the ice while skating.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Tree-dweller]

We have the luxury of living close enough to Boston where ee can go there to participate in its First Night fun. It's family oriented early, with a decent fireworks display at 7 PM for the kids. We've been going there for many years with the kids, and now without them. We'll likely go again this year too, and still be home before the ball drops. I symathize and empathize with the OP: I would not look forward to that plan, and I can see DW reacting as frostily ;-)

 

[scrabbler1]

For the last 10 years I have gone to my ladyfriend's place for a quiet evening. If, because of the calendar, she worked on NYE day, then we treat NYE like a typical Friday night so I bring dinner over and we eat together. Then I hope she can stay awake at midnight. If she did not work NYE day then we treat NYE like a Saturday night and she cooks dinner for me (and I still hope she can stay awake at midnight).

 

[kitesurfer2]

KEY WEST for us. We don't go every year but probably most. New Years for us will be Friday to Friday. We carry kayaks, bicycles, kites and boards and camp at Sigsbee's Point, on the water. News years eve is a massive party from one end of Duval st to the other. Sloppy Joes has a 'conch' that drops at midnight. the other end of Duval has a stage with drag queens performing all night, and there is a glass slipper on the roof that drops at midnight. the entire scene is very safe, not like my home city where walking to your car from the fireworks can get you robbed or even killed.

 

[Jackanory]

The local English pub pipes in (yes, with bagpipes) the New Year at 4:00pm, thence, home for a normal bedtime!

 

[MRG]

I agree, our favorite restaurant is a wonderful experience except for major holidays. Then it's a scaled down menu, everything they can is already prepared, and the crowd and prices are overwhelming.

DW likes a local Mexican restaurant, not my favorite, she'll know it was just for her. Plus it's never too busy even on holidays.

Just about every "nice" restaurant overcharges for cheap wine and tasteless meals on New Year's Eve. We go out to our favorite Mexican restaurant.....early, 7pm, home by 8:30pm and to bed after the 10 pm news.......why waste money and sleep? doesn't make sense to DW or me........course, I did party a lot in my way younger days.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[pb4uski]

We typically have a nice meal at home (steak or lobster or king crab or combinations thereof) and then watch a movie and the ball drop and then go to sleep. On New Year's Day we usually hang out at home or go visit friends.

I say typically. A few years ago we visited a friend about an hour away, had a dinner with them and some other friends and played cards and we stayed over and took them out to breakfast the next morning. A couple years before that we joined some other friends a few hours away and we stayed at a hotel and went to the hotel's NYE extravaganza of dinner and dancing. When the kid's were younger we routinely went to First Night festivities about an hour away and stayed overnight in a local hotel.

 

[Live And Learn]

We haven't gone out for NYE for 10 years, and the time before that was Y2K. They do have a gathering at the clubhouse but DH doesn't dance and didn't want to go. That's fine with me actually. Instead of going to bed at our usual 10pm (NYE and otherwise) I am thinking of going to Church for an 11pm Mass that ends at midnight.

 

[aaronc879]

KEY WEST for us. We don't go every year but probably most. New Years for us will be Friday to Friday. We carry kayaks, bicycles, kites and boards and camp at Sigsbee's Point, on the water. News years eve is a massive party from one end of Duval st to the other. Sloppy Joes has a 'conch' that drops at midnight. the other end of Duval has a stage with drag queens performing all night, and there is a glass slipper on the roof that drops at midnight. the entire scene is very safe, not like my home city where walking to your car from the fireworks can get you robbed or even killed.

I went there last year for NYE. It's like New Orleans at Mardi Gras except it's in the 60's at midnight instead of the 40's. Great time!

 

[Walt34]

We usually stay home, a couple of homebody introverts. We might make it to midnight. I'm conditioned to beware of driving after dark on New Year's Eve because of all the drunks. So our vehicles will be in the garage with the door closed.

 

[nash031]

We usually go over to a house party, leave before midnight to beat the drunk drivers, and enjoy the new year at home with some wine ourselves. Last year, I overindulged at said house party and didn't make it to midnight once we got home. DW (the sober driver) was not pleased. This year, I will drive for her!

 

[Katsmeow]

NYE I could see, but I wouldn't even bring up saving money on Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, her Birthday or "our" Anniversary with DW. She puts up with me 365 days/year, so it seems like a screaming bargain to overpay to show DW a good time 4 days/year. Apparently DW has trained me (without me having a clue) far more successfully than any foolish, misguided attempts I've made to "condition" her. YMMV

I used to go out with husband and kids on Mother's Day but it was so crowded that I really didn't have much fun. I felt like I was in an assembly line that was rather loud.

So two years ago I proposed something different. We went and got BBQ from a nearby restaurant and brought it home and then rented movies online and watched them with DH and the kids (college age). This past year we did the same but got pizza. It has become every so much more enjoyable than going out on Mother's Day.

 

[freebird5825]

I also avoid going out to dinner on holidays. In younger years, I loved doing that.

My late husband and I used to have small size NYE parties here at the house, insisting that people bring toothbrush, sleeping bags and pillows so no driving drunk. We made sure we had at least a couch or recliner for each person to crash on. We had lots of breakfast food on hand. Cooking pans, cups, silverware and plates were laid out. The rule was the first ones up had to get coffee and breakfast going.

Mr B and I are not into going out to dinner or holiday parties too much these days. I am trying to lose some/maintain my weight, so I am the stick in the mud.

I hate the noise and frantic service in restaurants. The cops are all over the roads locally, so we skip the VFW and Legion events on NYE. There is no taxi service out here in the boonies.

I think I'll ask him to hit the grocery store in the late afternoon and bring home some steamed lobsters.

 

[Elantan]

This Hogmany ( we call it that here) we plan on spending the night in Biggar at a bonfire display, we have been actively campaigning for independence this year and one of the biggest surprises was the passion that appeared from Biggar, so we will take pleasure in spending time with the people we have a lot in common with. Maybe they will even have an effigy of Westminster to burn ( a reference to the effigy burning of Alex Salmond obviously)

 

[Amethyst]

In younger days, I went out on dates on NYE. No matter how much I liked the entertainment, I had to leave before my date wanted to leave, because of the cigarette smoke. The following morning I would wake up with a raw throat and sinuses. I simply do not understand how smokers manage to enjoy what they do...

So when the smoking bans started in the 1990's, Mr. A. and I ventured out for a fancy dress-up dinner on NYE, instead of our usual shrimp/crab legs/champagne/old movie/ball drop/bed routine. Like Freebird, we were turned off by the noise and frantic [bad] service. It was like a cattle drive with a high price tag.

So, back to the reliable routine. In recent years, I started to FB and Skype with relatives during the evening, so we all can wish each other HNY. We live too far away from them to attend gatherings.

Amethyst

 

[CoolChange]

We'll be just south of Ft. Lauderdale in a decent business class hotel that I got for a bargain since no one is traveling for business that week.

We'll probably spend some time wandering the boardwalk until I get tired of the crowds, then find a deserted stretch of beach to wander (possibly with a glass of bubbly), likely capping off the night on our balcony watching the fireworks with another glass of bubbly.

I am actually looking forward to this NYE.

 

[MRG]

In younger days, I went out on dates on NYE. No matter how much I liked the entertainment, I had to leave before my date wanted to leave, because of the cigarette smoke. The following morning I would wake up with a raw throat and sinuses. I simply do not understand how smokers manage to enjoy what they do...

As an ex-smoker I understand. They simply don't smell it or don't have the nasty side effects. Well I had sinus issues, but denial is a very large place.

One of the huge motivating changes when I quit was when I noticed how bad smoking, and being a smoker smells. I remember where I was and who I was with when I first noticed it. "Hey guys these people over there are smokers and they stink".

Now I understand how my late DF, another ex-smoker busted me every time I smoked. Heck he could walk through the house and find a partial pack of cigarettes I had well hidden. Just the smell of tobacco led him right to them.

Like you I can't be somewhere smoking is going on without paying a price.

Service on NYE or other major holidays stinks too.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Sea Kayaker]

Will be sitting in a hot tub, with a nice beverage in hand with as many friends and family members that can squeeze in... with luck, the sky will be clear allowing for a clear viewing of the starry night sky, framed with the towering Douglas Firs that surround the deck... doesn't get any better.

 

[rodi]

... our anniversary is Jan 1, so we're killing two birds with one stone.

Hey - we're anniversary buddies. This will be year 15 for DH and I. (We were ancient when we got married and started having kids.)

Our plan is to go to the neighbors party... It's a family friendly neighborhood party - adult beverages (mostly wine) for the adults.... sodas and other sugary things to get the kids amped up... but they have a basketball hoop in the front - so that's where my kids will likely be. The tradition is to "ring in" the new year at 9pm (when the ball drops in Times Square). That way families with younger kids and babies can bail out at a reasonable hour. We usually are home by 10pm.... even though our boys are of an age they could go longer.

We'll go out to dinner Friday or Saturday after NYE - to celebrate the anniversary... less crowds, less hype, a better quality experience.

Happy Anniversary Midpack!

 

[mickeyd]

No plans for NYE at all. Why not just party here?