What’s the Big Deal About New Year’s Eve?

Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle age is when you’re forced to.

Bill Vaughn

I considered myself middle aged (clearly one of my delusional fantasies) until I read Bill Vaughn’s quote. Forget forcing myself to stay up until midnight; I can’t even remember the year I stayed up (voluntarily or otherwise) until midnight on New Year's Eve. And, I assure you that my life will be complete without watching the ball drop at midnight on Time Square. Is Dick Clark still alive????

What’s the big deal about New Year’s Eve anyways? It’s a bunch of people getting ripped off for cold food, mediocre entertainment and over priced booze, or sitting around at a friend’s house waiting for midnight so you can go home. Then you get to navigate the roads with the drunk drivers (not everyone got the memo about not drinking and driving) or taking public transit in spike heels (escalators are a killer in spike heels). But, apparently it’s a big deal for lots of folks. Research company Kelton Global recently did a survey for RetailMeNot and this is what they discovered:

• The average amount projected to be spent by Americans going out on the town this New Year’s Eve is $609

Here’s how it breaks down:

• $154 for clothes

• $109 for shoes

• $75 for accessories

• $74 for beauty

• $118 for entertainment (event tickets, cover charges)

• $79 for alcohol (including Champagne)

If I'm going to blow $609, it's going to be on a shopping spree, not on New Year's Eve. I assure you that on New Year's Eve I’ll be asleep as usual by 11pm, either in my bed or on the sofa in front of the tv (not watching the ball drop).

Many people look forward to the New Year for a new start on old habits.

Unknown

Make someone smile today.

Geri