Saturday, January 3, 2015

What I Missed On New Years Eve

A look at the history of the New Year's Eve kiss. New Year's Eve is the last hurrah of the year, the culminating event in a holiday binge of eating, drinking and celebrating. It's a time to don glitzy outfits, reflect on the past, and ponder future resolutions. And then there's the kiss at the stroke of midnight. Whether you ring in the new year watching the Times Square ball drop from your living room TV, or toasting champagne at an upscale nightclub, tradition makes a case for celebrating the new year with people you enjoy. According to English and German folklore, the first person you encounter in a new year (and the nature of this encounter) sets the tone for the rest of the year. A kiss is about strengthening ties you wish to maintain in the future. If a couple celebrating together doesn't take the time to lock lips, it doesn't bode well for the relationship. 
 
For single people, there's a superstition that not kissing anyone brings a year of loneliness…and probably a lot of bad online dating (ok, I made that last part up). Then again, kissing some sleazy random who may or may not have a significant other is worse than kissing no one at all. Passionate New Year's Eve kisses have featured prominently in popular culture. The New Year's Eve kiss at the end of the movie When Harry Met Sally, is the beginning of happily-ever-after for the two estranged friends, and it's just as memorable as the fake orgasm scene at the deli. Harry finally admits he's in love with Sally. "It's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible," he says. Sally's shocked response: "That is just like you, Harry. You say things like that, and you make it impossible for me to hate you." Too bad we can't all have what she's having. 

I missed the midnight kiss on New Year's Eve, and I felt cheated out of my "When Harry Met Sally" moment. I equate it to fireworks on the fourth of July, the perfect birthday present, and mistletoe over my head at Christmas. I don't know what I was feeling, but this year was different. Maybe the thought of someone wanting to kiss me would've made me feel a little better, but I didn't even get a hint to that even being close to the case. So I was a little blah, but like any other holiday, New Year's Eve can put a great deal of stress on those of us without plus-ones.
 
Mary, 40 from New York, ditched the New Year plans she made with friends because she didn't want to be the one single person in the group. Mary stayed at home where a kiss wasn't a possibility or a threat, and she said she ended up regretting the decision. 

Jason, 34 from Chicago, kept the reveling low-key when he found himself single in December. "I'm not going to go out with some vague hope of meeting someone to end the night with a kiss or more," he said. "It never happens. It just leads to drunken disappointment and a hangover, which is a terrible way to start a new year." 

But even having a significant other doesn't guarantee a romantic smooch at midnight, though many couples aren't even bothered by it. Jennifer, 44 from Oklahoma City, says she and her husband replaced a romantic night out on the town with a family-friendly community event, to be with their three children instead. "Who has time for New Year's Eve kisses or money for a babysitter?" she said. "My husband says the New Year's Eve kiss is so passé because we're too tired to stay up that late." Jennifer shared a New Year's kiss with all four loves of her life, even when it didn't happen when the clock strikes twelve.

This relaxed, flexible approach seems to be the key to enjoying New Year's Eve, whatever your relationship status. Celebrate with loved ones in an environment that makes you feel safe and comfortable. The midnight kiss isn't so different from a New Year's resolution, and despite your best intentions, you probably won't pull it off perfectly, if at all...

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