52 Weeks of Sharing Memories

Olive Tree Genealogy is hosting 52 Weeks of Sharing Memories, where bloggers are encouraged to record their memories for future generations.

This week's prompt is:

The topic for this week is New Year's Celebrations

* How did your family celebrate New Year's?

* What is the first New Year's you remember?

* How do you celebrate New Year's with your family?
The earliest New Year's I can recall is when I was about 9, when I was allowed to stay up and watch Dick Clark in Times Square. I had heard friends talk about it at school, and Mama had promised I could do it too.

I managed to stay awake... but just barely! As soon as the ball dropped I went off to bed. But it was the first time I had any idea that people celebrated the holiday on New Year's Eve! My family didn't celebrate the coming in of the New Year!

But after that I was hooked!

Each year I would sit up with Dick Clark. I'd watch and wait for that big ball to drop! And I would promise myself that when I grew up... I'd be one of those celebrators!

As a young adult... I didn't really celebrate. My first marriage was not a happy one, and my ex-husband was not appreciative of celebrating without excessive use of alcohol [or other substances!]. Still, every year I sat up with Dick Clark!

After I was divorced in 1990, I determined that my children and I would make a new tradition for our family! So, I began to celebrate New Year's Eve with an 11 year old, twin 10 year olds, an 8 year old and a 6 year old. We would eat a late dinner [usually cornish hens because the kids were always amazed at those tiny "chickens"! although we did do pizza's one year!]. Following dinner we played board games. About 11 when they began to get tired, we would put on music and dance! Yes... my kids learned to dance from their old fogey mother! We did fast dancing [rock from the 60's and early 70's], line dancing, ballads, and even waltzing!

Just before mid-night I had them dancing while I broke away and fixed everyone "champagne" in champagne flutes! [It was sparkling grape juice!] And I always made canapes. So at just about 11:55p.m. we'd turn on the television and when the countdown began I'd pass out noise makers!  And yes... confetti crackers! [Which I'd be finding behind the furniture for months! LOL] When we hit one.... everyone would begin making use of the noise makers and confetti crackers! Then we'd toast one another with our "champagne" and have a few canapes.

We were almost always in bed by 12:30!!!

Now?

My youngest has moved back home. She's 26. And I remarried 13 years ago.

On New Year's Eve... we play board games. [This year it was Yahtzee and Scrabble!] And I made hors dourves and at midnight we told each other "Happy New Year". We toasted one another [again with sparkling grap juice!] in champagne glasses.

And once more... we were in bed by 12:30.

While my ancestors may not have celebrated... my children have a new tradition! And they are following suit!

Memories are not only of the past... but memories are meant to be made every day of our lives! This is a great one!