New Years Traditions die hard.  Can you imagine New York City breaking the news to the world that they have decided not to have the New Years count down and lower the Times Square Ball at the stroke of midnight?

Long ago, I clung to the traditional vision of a romantic New Years Eve….  having a sweetheart give me a New Years kiss…. toasting the New Year with sparkling cider and singing the traditional song,  “Auld Lang Syne” with the rest of the common horde.

(By the way… “Auld Lang Syne” translates as “old long since” or “times gone by.”  Bandleader Guy Lombardo played the song, for the first time, at a New Year’s Eve party in New York City in 1929.)

Well, my traditional romantic dream of having a sweetheart give me a kiss and singing the “Auld Lang Syne” and drinking sparkling cider at a fancy New Years event never happened.

In the early years, my husband bid me farewell every New Years Eve to sing with a dance band, who played “Auld Lang Syne” at the stroke of midnight and watched everyone else kiss their sweethearts… and toast with “whatever.”

In later years, we usually stayed home with the kids and banged pans on the front porch at the stroke of midnight.  For some reason… I still felt a little cheated.  I still longed for the “romance” of a fancy New Years event.

Then the grands came along…. my dreams came true.  At the stroke of midnight, I am kissed by numerous sweethearts.  And, with our paper cups filled with sparkling cider, we toast each other, sing loudly “Old Ensign” and bang our pots and pans.

Yes… New Year’s traditions die hard.  I can’t imagine not banging pots and pans at the stroke of midnight with the ones I love most…. my family.   You can’t get any more romantic than that!  (I think I grew up.)  This New Years Eve tradition is one I plan to keep around for a long time…. do or die.

Happy New Year To You All!

Til Later,

Kathy
Insightful Nana

P.S.  We don’t give up celebrating the New Year easily.  We’re getting together on New Years Day… another New Years Tradition.   My delicious, scrumptious, mouth watering homemade spaghetti is on the menu.  You’re all welcome to drop by.