New Year's Day as a holiday?

[hectorberlioz]

I wish you all a happy new year. On the other hand, I dislike the idea of New Year's day as a holiday. A lot.

My first reason is that it just seems like another excuse for people to go out , get drunk, and party. Oh, and did I mention post offices and banks? Yes, they take every opportunity to close down for the day. Tell 'em it's your birthday and they'll take the day off.

Secondly, I see nothing festive about ending one year only to have another one start. It should be more like a Day Of Praying That We Don't Get Old.

Three: idiotic New Years Resolutions that are broken two days into the new year.

[Tessar]

Whooo-weee! Somebody pinched his finger in the case of his Baroque CD this morning, didn't he?

I love new years. I love making resolutions! I've never actually kept any but this year I'm optimistic! I'm not sure why. In fact, I think I was optimistic last year too, but this year I really mean it.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

I wish you all a happy new year. On the other hand, I dislike the idea of New Year's day as a holiday. A lot.

My first reason is that it just seems like another excuse for people to go out , get drunk, and party.

Sounds good to me.

Three: idiotic New Years Resolutions that are broken two days into the new year.

Are you kidding? You get to feel good about yourself, without any serious effort! It's awesome!

[hectorberlioz]

I guess I dislike seemingly useless holidays. And the fact that it comes on the heels of Christmas. They're to close together. We need to move New Year's Day over a couple of months .

[Tessar]

Useless holidays? Wow, way to talk about the birth of Jesus, you jerk.

[hectorberlioz]

I didn't say Christmas was one of the useless ones!

[Valandil]

I observed a few years ago that New Year's Day is the only holiday we celebrate in the US that is purely 'calendar-based'. In many ways, the dating of our new year is arbitrary anyway - because it isn't at a solstice, or equinox or anything like that (new moon, etc) which would normally mark a transition like that.

But - I guess we have to reconcile ourselves to it. On the first day of the other eleven months of the year, I've taken to wishing people 'Happy New Month's Day' Although I also call those days 'Calendar Day' - because it's the day we have to change the page on our calendars.

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

Three: idiotic New Years Resolutions that are broken two days into the new year.

I only have one Resolution: Not to bother with making Resolutions

Originally Posted by Valandil

Although I also call those days 'Calendar Day' - because it's the day we have to change the page on our calendars.

Wasn't Kalenda the name of one of the days of the month in Ancient Rome? The first day even, or perhaps the middle one?

[hectorberlioz]

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

I only have one Resolution: Not to bother with making Resolutions

Oooh! I like that resolution

[Mari]

The night before is much more important than New Year's Day.
And I don't do resolutions. Silly things.
I'm perfect, so what would I have to be resolute for?

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Mari

I'm perfect, so what would I have to be resolute for?

Hear, hear!

[BeardofPants]

Last year I resolved to lose the extra weight, and I managed to keep to the resolution (lost over 30kgs). Not sure what I'll resolve for this year, if anything. I'm practically perfect the way I am.

[Mari]

My mum wished me more decisiveness for the coming year, maybe I should have that as my resolution

Wow BoP, 30 kg is so much! That's so great that you managed to get it off and keep it off!!!

[Ingwe]

I made no resolutions this year, because I never kept them in years past. I saw the ball drop and it wasn't all too exciting for me. I'm with Hector on this, it's a bit of a useless day that basically celebrates one new resolution around the Sun at some arbitrary point. We went another 940 million kilometers around the Sun, moving at an orbital velocity of around 30 km/second, at a galactic orbital velocity of 220 km/second, completing a circuit of 7 billion kilometers around the galaxy. Something like that...woohoo...

I think we need a Happy New Decade Day, that occurs when a new Decade begins. Then that day would seem more meaningful in some way. And it would be easier to keep resolutions because you'd only need to keep one for every decade! In a decade we will have traveled 70 billion kilometers through the galaxy!

I lost 20kg of weight in about three months - weight I didn't really want to lose. So if anything my resolution would be to gain it back.

Anyway, for those who enjoy the idea of a New Year, New Year's is just fine. But I'll stick with celebrating birthdays in the family and other holidays.

We have another holiday called Labor Day, which is actually useful - it recognizes the working man in America. However, Labor Day is the day all the pools close, and all the fun summer stuff ends. After that point it's just a slow and depressing march on to the winter dark.

[hectorberlioz]

A Happy New Decade Day! Now that's more like it . Two thumbs up on that idea, Ingwe.

[Earniel]

I often make one or two resolutions, but maybe I should look up the ones I made last year and to see if I actually managed to keep them, before I make new ones...

[Ingwe]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

A Happy New Decade Day! Now that's more like it . Two thumbs up on that idea, Ingwe.

Thanks. Yea, it's more like a compromise holiday for those in between - those who don't really want to celebrate arbitrary calendar holidays but...somehow...think that it's still a lot of fun.

[The Gaffer]

Originally Posted by Valandil

On the first day of the other eleven months of the year, I've taken to wishing people 'Happy New Month's Day' Although I also call those days 'Calendar Day' - because it's the day we have to change the page on our calendars.

Hereabouts you can say "White Rabbits" to the first person you meet on the first day of every month. It's supposed to be good luck.

New Year is a bigger deal than Xmas here. We get the 2nd off as well to recover from the 1st.

There should be more holidays, not less.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by The Gaffer

Hereabouts you can say "White Rabbits" to the first person you meet on the first day of every month. It's supposed to be good luck.

I find that a terribly cute custom. Any idea how it arose?

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by The Gaffer

There should be more holidays, not less.

Gaffer, in one simple sentence, you have encapsulated the whole of my philosophy. Thank you.