Well, it's New Year's Eve! Can you believe it? What are you going to do tonight?
When I was growing up, we used to have a great party on New Year's Eve. Now, we didn't invite a billion people over...it was always just our family and, every once in a while, a friend or two. So, why am I calling it a great party if it was just us? Well, one of the best parts about our New Year's party was that I was able to spend time with my family.
We would make all sorts of appetizers and goodies to snack on, like stuffed mushrooms, a cheese ball with crackers, spinach artichoke dip, chips and dip, small candies, fudge, cookies, mini quiches...ok, now my mouth is watering.
We played board games all night...and every once in a while I would WIN!
When it was almost midnight, we turned on the TV to watch the ball drop in Times Square. Our whole family would gather around the TV, with our noise makers ready, and count down the last seconds of the year.
5...4...3...2...1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Suddenly, our house would be filled with laughing, banging, singing, clanging, shaking, popping, dancing, and occasionally crying (sometimes our loudness scared whoever was youngest at the time). The explosion of sound would send chills through my body as I realized that it was a new fresh year. I loved watching my dad lean over, kiss my mom, and whisper "Happy New Year."
We would then clink our glasses of sparkling cider, offering "Cheers!" to everyone in the house.
When things started to settle down inside the house, we would go outside to watch fireworks over the mountains, and fire crackers on our neighbors' driveway. Dad would never fail to have a few boxes of snappers for us to throw down on the sidewalk.
Wow, remembering our New year's Eve parties is making me a little homesick.
This year, we just have our small family of four, but we can still have a great party. The kids are napping now, but they know that when they get up, we will spend the evening baking, playing, and enjoying each other's company.
Of course, since the kids are still little, we're going to have "midnight" at about 7:30 or 8:00, but it doesn't matter...we will be together, having a marvelous time.
Have a wonderful evening! I'll see you next year!
