New Year’s Eve plans generally include parties, staying up late, lots of drinking and eating, and if you’re in the US, possibly watching the ball drop in New York City. But that means staying up until midnight, a time at which I desire to be deep in sleep as my normal wake-up time is anywhere between 5 and 6 am (6 if I’m lucky). It’s not just age; it’s my internal clock.
One year while visiting my parents in Sedona, Arizona, the four of us decided to stay up and watch the festivities. When midnight came, we all looked at each other, said good-night, and headed off to bed. Been there, done that, don’t need to do it again!!
My favorite New Year’s Eve celebrations happened when our girls were young. We would camp out in the living room with all the decorations still up (sometimes until the end of January), the tree lights on, and hors d’oeuvres of various kinds for dinner. (Does anyone else always have to look up how to spell “hors d’oeuvres” every time you want to use it???) The usual chattering would go on as we all snuggled down either on couches or on the floor, eventually waning only to start again in shorter and shorter spurts until everyone finally succumbed to sleep. It was magical.
I don’t have any photos of it and this is the first time I’ve done Six-Word Saturday with words. But this memory is too precious for me not to share and I hope your mind’s eye drew a picture of the four of us (or of you and your family) seeing out the current year, ready to welcome in the new surrounded by those most precious to us. Guess what? There were also no devices to distract us and if we were doing it now, I’d prohibit all phones and other devices.
Our plans this year? Having two small lobster tails from Aldi as our main course, some bubbly, and just relaxing at home. Ahhh, goodbye 2022; welcome 2023!
And your New Year’s Eve plans are?
This, that and the other thing 
Finger foods till we pass out; more than likely before the midnight hour! Lol have a blessed and safe new year.
Sounds good to me and may your 2023 be blessed and safe as well. Thanks for being part of my blogging fun.
janet
I’m enjoying your blog very much. It’s so fun being a fellow blogger. So many interesting people out here!! lol
True. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a number of bloggers in person which is also fun.
You should wake up for Australias Midnight, watch a few seconds of fireworks and go back to bed then you can say you saw in 2023 🙂
Ok, let me think…maybe not. But you have a wonderful one, Brian! 😉
Well at the moment I’m watching Rafa play United Cup tennis, Janet, then we have a walk and lunch with friends. Later there will be fireworks on the bridge. Happy New Year!
Sounds like a good day. Enjoy! Happy New Year.
Yes, a precious memory thanks for sharing this.
My pleasure. 🥰. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
janet
Wonderful memories, Janet. Wishing you a harmonious new year! We are walking the dog in the rain, then some good food with my old father, and looking out the windows for the fireworks. A very slow day.
Sounds like a good day to me, A-C. Enjoy!
staying home with hubby, watching tv, and enjoying some wine and snacks, very festive 🙂 , not! Happy new year!
I think it sounds just fine. Happy 2023!
To answer your question: a cozy dinner with our daughter, her boyfriend and her son. After their left, bringing the little guy to bed and watching something on tv. At midnight, sending a few greetings to the whole family and a few close friends and maybe watching the fireworks from behind the kitchen window. Going to bed at about 1 a.m. not very interesting at all. Tomorrow, it’s a very normal Sunday.
In the past, it was different. When the kids were little, we enlightened sparklers with them right after dinner before sending them to bed. Later, we went out with them at midnight to see the fireworks. Maybe, my wife and daughter go out with sparkles today, too. Depends on the weather. Currently, it’s very stormy. I prefer not going out today.
Stay nice and warm, André, and just enjoy the family time. 🥰. I appreciate you being part of my blogging circle.
Thank you so much, Janet. Same for you 😊🥂
happy new year!
And to you as well, Beth. Thanks for always being here. 😘
That does sound magical and so exciting for the kids
Thanks for sharing
I’m with you now all for an early night
All the best for 2023 😊
Thanks, Alison. Enjoy an early evening and wake to a year filled with blessings. I’m glad you’re part of my blogging circle.
Thanks Janet for your lovely words
Happy blogging for 2023
After a simple meal, we will spend a nice quiet night at home. I will follow the Twilight Zone Marathon, trading comments with several others across the either. Now set plans to see the ball drop. I’m an early risers as well. Happy New Year, Janet.
We’re driving to Tucson today for some sightseeing because my husband actually has the weekend off! Quiet night at home, though, later. Probably watching rugby. 😉. Thanks for bring a blogging buddy, Dan. You’re much appreciated.
Travel safe.
Change of plans. Home day. 😁. But thanks. Relaxing is good too.
We also have good memories of years gone by without devices and young children in the family. These days, we eat something we like for dinner and go to bed at regular time. I leave the highway to the amateurs. Our highway deaths are up tremendously this year because of DUI and speed. Stay safe but have fun.
We will. Sightseeing in Tucson today and then a quiet evening at home. Enjoy this last day of 2022, Judy, and many blessings in the new year. Thanks for being a faithful blogging friend.
We’ll most likely be sound asleep at midnight here, too, though we do have some champagne and will probably have some before then 😀 I enjoyed hearing about your tradition with the kids. This is a holiday we never really had much of a tradition for in our household. When mine were young, I worked rotating shifts and often worked the holidays, so we never really built a strong habit of tradition for any of them, unfortunately. And yes, I always have to look up the way to spell that word-phrase for the fancy little finger snacks 😉 Deviled eggs has always been my favorite of those! Happy New Year to you and Bill, may it be filled with joy and abundance.
Christmas has always en the big holiday for me and my family and the our family after we got married. I don’t remember where the camping out idea came from, but it was a lot of fun. “Fancy finger snacks”. We could call those FFS in the best acronym tradition. 😉. We wish the same for you and Rob-a year stuffed with blessings and joy.
LOL, I like the FFS acronym – so multipurposed, too!
Yes, I wondered whether I should even go there. 😳
Having Christmas with my dad. Winter weather halted travel last week so I got to come see him this week instead. I can’t remember the last time I was with him for New Year’s. ❤️ Hope you have a great 2023.
That sounds perfect, Jessica. My parents both passed away earlier this year or we’d be spending the evening with them. But they’re happier where they are. 🙂 Have a blessed 2023 and enjoy time with your dad!!
Some magic never fades no matter the passage of time. The most wondrous part is that is drifts back to rekindle.
No doubt we’ll be walking the dog who doesn’t care about strange noises and enjoying the early fireworks around (Fortunately we’ve have a lot of rain and hall is soaked.)
Enjoyed the post
Happy New Year!
I’m happy you enjoyed the post. We have lots of fireworks at various holidays around here and there are always complaints by people whose dogs are frightened (we fostered a dog that had that problem) and people with PTSD while on the other side are those vehement about their or other people’s rights to make lots of noise late into the night.
Happy New Year’s Eve to all of you!
Those are lovely memories, Janet! When our kids were little we’d wait up until midnight playing games and eating snack foods then at Midnight we’d grab our party hats, pots, and pans, or other noise makers and go out front and make noise with the other neighbors. Wishing them a Happy New Year! As the kids got older we usually were in bed before Midnight.
We’ve both got head colds so will most likely pass out before midnight. We’ve found over the years we’ve lived here. New Year’s Eve at midnight is really quiet. 😃😴
Sunday, I’m making a breakfast casserole for breakfast and Mimosas. Later in the afternoon I’ll be making our families annual traditional Good Luck meal of wieners and sauerkraut. This year I’m changing it up a bit. I’ve never liked Hot Dogs so, I will add something I like instead. For decades it’s been Polska Kielbasa but, this year I am adding Beer Brats, we’ll have salad to go with it.
Happy New Year, Janet!! I hope it’s a wonderful year for us all! 😍
Sorry about the colds! That’s no fun. I made a breakfast casserole while everyone was her and it was really good, a keeper and repeater. The few leftover pieces heated up beautifully too. Mimosas sound delightful as do beer brats. Enjoy!!
We’ll have to swap recipes and see how close they are. I was shopping from memory and bought biscuits instead of crescent rolls so we’ll see how it tastes. The crescent rolls make it a bit sweet which all the kids like. I hope I like it both ways!
I generally stay up to watch the ball drop at midnight (yes I know I could watch it at nine but…) this year we will be bringing my mother in law to California from Oregon, which has been a week long process and won’t really be over until her furniture and stuff is delivered, hopefully Tuesday! Again, have a great New Year.
All the best with the move. That’s quite an undertaking.
Happy New Year, Janet!
And to you as well, Sue.
My mom used to alternate the lights on our Christmas trees when I was a young girl. One year, all red bulbs and the next year, all blue. I could never decide which ‘look’ I liked best. I still waver between the two! Your blue tree is lovely. I love how it brought back that childhood memory. Happy New Year!
We love the blue lights, especially my husband. This photo was before the girls and my husband decorated the tree. Happy New Year to you too, Julie, and thanks for all your visits and comments through the year.
We will have a very quiet night and hope that things get better in the world next year. They can get much worse I should think.
They certainly could get worse but praying that people step up and work at all levels to make it better.
Your memories of NYE past are precious, Janet! When I was a kid in San Diego, my dad and I watched It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World then went out and banged pots and pans together. Good times. Hubby and I prefer watching a movie and enjoying a quiet evening. Love your little German snow scene (I have a similar one!). The blue lights on the tree are lovely–blue is my favorite next to white lights!
I just found that scene at a Home Goods this year. I love it. We’re more into quiet times at home too.