The festive season is upon us once again and, as everyone knows, December is just one long warm up toward New Year’s Eve. A solid month of work Christmas parties and social engagements, kicking it in beer gardens and getting back on the beach in earnest, all serve as a lead up to what is, for better or worse, the biggest party night of the year.
As with our previous guide on how to make the most of your Hallowe’en celebrations read on to learn all there is to know about making this NYE memorable. We’ll look at the history, why we celebrate it when we do and most importantly, how to do it in style.
Background
New Year’s Eve is named, perhaps unsurprisingly, as it falls on the last day of December, directly before the first day of January which heralds the beginning of a fresh year. It is a time to reflect on the year just past and of optimism for what lies ahead. Nowadays, most of the celebrations occur on the evening of December 31 and stretch on until the early hours of January 1, New Year’s Day.
That may sound like stating the obvious but January wasn’t even a permanent feature on the calendar until Numa Pontilius, the second King of Rome, invented it in approximately 700 B.C.E. The earliest record of a celebration to mark the new year came to us thanks to the Babylonian empire based out of Mesopotamia. ‘Akitu’ was the name of a huge religious celebration, some 4000 years ago, that literally translates as ‘barley-sowing’. This was held during the Spring Equinox and was passed down successfully through the generations, surviving time and the influx of the Egyptian, Greek and Roman empires.
The months of January and February had already been invented by 46 B.C.E. but Julius Caesar went a step further and introduced a new solar-based calendar which was a vast improvement on the ancient lunar-based model. Thus the celebration of new year moved from March 1 to January 1 to tie into the Roman civil year.
Skipping forward to the tumultuous Middle Ages, the celebrations were considered to be pagan and decidedly unchristian. Indeed many of the previously, widely accepted and celebrated ancient festivals were all but wiped from history due to their pagan roots. Hence, new year became a highly moveable feast, falling anywhere from Christmas Day through to Easter. In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian Calendar which finally cemented new year’s position as January 1. Unfortunately this Catholic system wasn’t widely accepted in many of the largely Protestant-ruled countries until the mid 18th century.
There are some exceptions to the rule, notably; Chinese New Year, Rosh Hashannah and Muharram, but for the sake of simplicity let’s roll with the above.
How To Celebrate
There are as many traditions surrounding NYE as there are cultures that celebrate it. From eating soba noodles and bell ringing in Buddhist temples in Japan (Joya-no-Kane), to ‘First-footing’ in Scotland. From watching the ball drop in Times Square to eating dumplings and lighting firecrackers in China.
Of course it’s likely that if you’re reading this you’ll be indulging in the tradition of drinking away the regrets of the previous year and forming some fresh new ones for January.
Going Out
Pubs, clubs, bars, streets, and public transport are going to be busy. You will struggle at midnight to get a phone signal. You might really want to go to a specific place that you’ve always really wanted to go to. You might spend 95% of your night in queues because of this. You might be left standing in the street waiting to get in when midnight rolls around. You might vow to never go out again because of this. You need to accept the harsh realities of NYE, she is a cruel mistress and will dash the spirits of the ill-prepared.
Keep your options open. If the bar is too busy in one place, go elsewhere. If there’s an extortionate entrance fee just because it’s NYE, go elsewhere. If the place closes at midnight, go elsewhere. If you do not have a drink in your hand come ten to midnight, reassess your priorities and get one. There’s no shame in celebrating in the street outside a venue, it just proves your party spirit and resourcefulness. Be constantly mindful of the time until midnight, after that, forget about it. Roll with the punches, follow the fun and everything will work out just fine.
Staying In
By which we mean house party or parties. Always a viable option, especially when used in conjunction with the aforementioned. Try to line up a few and make sure that they are in relative proximity. Don’t be afraid to hit up random houses, it’s NYE and the rules surrounding house parties are thrown out the window - you should be welcome everywhere. Have a bottle of champagne in your hand at all times, especially when initially arriving at the party. Whisky, tequila, brandy or rum are also welcome additions, easy to transport, great for sharing round and sure to cement your position as top party dog. Make sure to initiate the count down, and make sure to initiate it at the right time. No one wants to be the guy that welcomes in the New Year late. Also make sure you’ve got a belter of a tune to drop at twelve. Any of the following, tried-and-tested classics should suffice; David Bowie “Let’s Dance”, Blondie “Atomic”, Dee Lite “Groove Is In The Heart” or the Larry Levan mix of The Joubert Singer’s “Stand On The Word”. Obviously, get a smooch off someone at midnight. Don’t overstay your welcome and, whenever you eventually crash, be sure to make it out of bed to see some of the first day of the new year.
Stay safe kids, happy partying.
