It's coming up again, that time of the year which everyone looks forward to, only for it to happen and no one feel any different... Every year millions of people get ready to see the new year in with friends and loved ones, planning far in advance what parties to go to... Only to realise that once the second hand reaches twelve it really isn't that big a deal...
It's sad that the majority of New Year's Eves are huge anti-climaxes... Everyone gets so excited and then can't help but feel a little bit down when their big night wasn't so big at all... After all, it is just like any other day, the only main impact it makes on everyones lives is that for a few weeks you keep getting the year wrong when writing the date... So does this mean that we shouldn't celebrate New Year's Eve anymore? Should we just give in and accept that although it feels like it should be celebrated, really it is just like any other night? My answer is definitely not. There must be some reason why people still feel that it is acceptable to sometimes spend around £50 just for a ticket to a New Year's Eve party...
1) The Tradition
For years people have celebrated the New Year! Did you know that on New Year's Eve in 2010 an estimated 250,000 people gathered in London to watch the 8 minute long fire works display? Traditions vary from "Irish Wind" - a tradition of predicting the political future of a country by checking which way the wind blows at midnight on New Year's Eve, to celebrating the first baby being born. If we stopped celebrating it we would be losing a huge part of our culture.
2) The excuse for a huge night
It's an excuse to either dress up nicely or in some weird costume and make a fool of yourself, but it's ok because everyone does it! It's not like on people's birthdays when YOU may be dressed up and ready for a big one, but people walking past in the street look completely normal. On New Year's everyone is up for having a good time, and if we stopped celebrating it we would be missing out on a chance to have a great night.
3) Seeing people you wouldn't usually see
New Year's Eve is a great chance to have a catch up with people you don't always have a chance to see. It's the time of year when people have big parties with friends and family, where everyone is in a good mood and you don't think about anything else. With jobs and university it's hard to make sure you see everyone, so it's great having one night of the year when you know everyone is out - it's as if it is mandatory. Whether it is out in London or at someones house, you often see people that you definitely would not have otherwise.
4) Being part of something big
Now, this is generally the reason that New Year's Eve is an anti-climax... Nonetheless i still think it is a reason for us to keep celebrating it. When people celebrate New Year's Eve you really feel part of something. You can imagine everyone in England counting down the seconds, and then all at once shouting "Happy New Year!!". There isn't much that England does as a whole, so it's nice that we have something that the majority of people celebrate. So even though after New Year's Eve some people feel like their has been an anti-climax, it is still important to feel like you are part of something that everyone thinks is special.
5) It only happens once a year
This isn't something that happens every month, it happens once a year. Well, being pedantic each new year only happens once. Surely that is something to celebrate?
Obviously these are not the only reasons why i think that we should still celebrate New Year's Eve, there are hundreds, but they are some of the important ones. My point is that although New Year's Eve can be a let down, generally it is a fun night. You just have to make sure you don't put too much pressure on it. Realistically your life will not change between 11.59 and 12.00, even if technically it is the next year. People should put less of a burden on the night and just enjoy it for what it is - a night with your friends which also happens to be seeing one year into the next. We have to stop expecting a night to be magical on its own, and instead focus on making it special ourselves.
So, I hope that everyone has a great New Year's Eve. Sure, it may well be another anti-climax when it happens, but during the hours before and the hours after hopefully it will be a great night.
