New Year’s Eve*

I’ve always loved the idea of New Years Eve.

The parties, the music, the clothes… I’ve always thought it was such a glamorous holiday. When I was a little girl I always imagined myself dressing up and spending my evening at a fabulous party to ring in the new year.

However, having  now done the whole party bit once or twice–it’s fun, but not for me.

At least not every year.

My family had some New Year’s Eve traditions that carried on through the years. Chinese food, John Wayne movies, and alcohol-free bubbly to ring in the new year at 12:00am.

…then off to bed by 12:05.

I’ll be honest–when I was younger I thought it was a bit lame. Where was the excitement? The parties? The clothes? John Wayne is hardly New Year’s Eve material.

And then I got older… and now those traditions have become some of my all-time favourites. I’ve turned down party invitations in favour of chicken balls and cowboy movies.

And this year has been no different. :)

I know that technically there is still 40 minutes until 2011 arrives (how can it possibly be 2011 already?!?!), but I promised that I’d write every day until the end of January, so here I am!

Today has been positively lovely. Our plans were a little up in the air this morning, but we decided to spend the day with my family and I’m so glad we did. We drove up to Muskoka again this morning and despite the wet weather, we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with my extended family. Grammy prepared a fabulous pork meal (though the Hubs was convinced it was turkey… haha) and we spent a lazy afternoon playing games while my uncles <strike>napped in the basement</strike> watched a game.

We drove back to my parents and spent the evening here gorging ourselves on Chinese food and chocolate mousse cake while laughing at my ridiculously cute niece–who refused to go to bed and kept calling out to come back downstairs.

So, instead of John Wayne, we “Wiggled” to Hot Potato and Fruit Salad and watched Princess Pea’s new favourite video over, and over and over… every time it finished she would start hitting my keyboard and chanting, “Kitty! Kitty!”. I love her too much to say no.

We finally got her off to bed a few minutes ago (with my very pregnant sister in tow) and now Mom, Dad, The Hubster and I are curled up on the couch watching NCIS (it was too late to start John Wayne) and Doodle and DW (Doodle’s lovely girlfriend) are watching a Bollywood film in the basement.

I’m tired and I’ve eaten entirely too much today… which is how I know it’s been a perfect New Year’s Eve.

Happy New Year everyone–see you in 2011! :)