New Year's Bash Anxiety

Hey friends, Hera here. New Year’s Eve is one of those so-called “holidays” that I can’t help but LOVE … to hate. Then love again. Let me explain. First off, I’m still getting used to having the “new year” fall on the same date every year and not according to the stars like we did it when I was a little girl in Ancient Greece.

Anyway. New Year’s Eve always happens the same way.

Step One. Everyone gets super excited about a month in advance. They make lavish plans for the latest hot-spot, buy sparkly little dresses and plan their midnight’s kiss.

Step Two. Tickets to said “latest hot-spot” are either sold out or $120. Any other ideas?

Step Three. The New Year’s Eve group (which getting smaller and smaller as the weeks go on) settles for a cheaper, less ritzy place to celebrate, and is still, somehow, pretty excited about it.

Step Four. The night (finally) actually rolls around and guess what. It’s either snowing, raining, sleeting or a combination of the three. Do we still want to wear our sparkly little dresses? After much pouting we decide, sure we do! Duh … it’s New Year’s Eve!!! Who cares if it’s -30 degrees outside?

Step Five. After pouring 8 people into a cab and arriving at the celebration destination, you all stand around lookin’ pretty and waiting 50 minutes to get a drink with your all-inclusive wristband. Maybe this wasn’t worth all the hype and dressing up, after all … it’s pretty much like any other night.

Step Six. The crowd is screaming a midnight countdown, champagne is bubbling and all of a sudden, Zeus comes barreling out of the crowd (hey, where has he been all night?) puts his arms around me and gives me the first kiss of the New Year. Sigh. So this is why we go through all the trouble.

That’s why I have to remind myself, when New Year’s Eve is feeling very overrated, that it will all be worth it in the end. After all, it’s the ONLY night of the year that Zeus feels he can be affectionate in public – I’m not going to pass that up! Party like it’s 2007!

Be safe, everyone.

Not doing anything for the new year?

I will tell you, after two thousand years of New Years, the scene starts to get a bit old. I have done the Vegas, Rome, Greece (both of these last two are pretty obvious), New York, Rio, Omaha (our car broke down), Paris, Amsterdam, Shanghai etc. thing. What I guess I am trying to say is it is time for a change. This year I am staying home!!!!! I am soooo sick of those cheesy noise makers, hats, and the always-annoying, not-drunk-but- just-enjoying-himself-too-much guy. (Between you and me, the super cheesy guy is usually Dionysus … it is his time of year and everything) It is probably better that I stay home for my mental health anyway. Every year I go out, Hera is all concerned with who is going to be there. What other gods and all (Us Pagans know how to do it right you know). Inevitably it hurts more than not because she has to get a new dress which costs money (the coffers aren’t as full as they used to be) and she always gets upset when I disappear with my friends. What is the big deal if you want to celebrate the New Year in every time zone on Earth? Anyway, sorry Hera, I am just staying home this year. Go out and have fun without me. No worries.

(Dionysus you reading this) Ok, I think I fooled Hera. She doesn’t have a clue. Let’s meet in Tokyo first at 11pm next to the Hot Soup stand where you did that samurai impression then we can do the party/time zone hopping thing. I love this time of year!!!!!!!!