Chronicle poll results: New Year’s Eve
We asked our readers what they planned to do on New Year's Eve. Here's what they said.
Last week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an electronic poll the following question: “What are you planning to do or what did you do for New Year’s Eve?” Of the 145 people who responded, 51% said “stay home and watch the fun at Times Square”; 15% said “have a small number of family or friends over”: 15% said “go out for dinner but be back before midnight”; 10% said “travel out of town”; and 9% said “go to a party or host a party.” Comments were submitted by 30 people. A few follow.
This poll doesn’t have enough options. What about staying home and not watching the fun at Times Square? We’re going to have appetizers and the rest is to be determined.
Not everybody chooses to celebrate or be social on NYE. I always look forward to it as a time for reflection and intention-setting before beginning the new (secular) year.
I don’t like New Year’s Eve. Too much pressure to have extra fun and make resolutions I can’t keep. I prefer to treat it as just another fine day.
I am embarrassed to admit that I have probably been in bed by 12:10 a.m. in most of the last dozen New Years. Don’t tell my 20s self this, but I actually now adhere to the adage “Nothing constructive happens after midnight.” Between drunk drivers and ill-advised decision-making, I much prefer eight hours of restful sleep rather than playing on my phone/carousing/watching TV.
We have two young kids and they’re very active, so we try to avoid crowds. We will walk around the corner in Squirrel Hill to try to see the fireworks.
We celebrate with the same dear friends every year. We rent a big house and enjoy time together.
We (four old ladies) have a tradition of going out for dinner and then returning to one of our homes where we schmooze and watch TV until midnight, when we watch the ball drop and then have champagne and dessert. Have been doing it for about 40 years !
I will not celebrate the Georgian New Year. I have already celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the true new year.
Going to dinner with another couple, but then going back to their house to watch the ball drop. And stay up until 2 a.m.! It’s only New Year’s Eve once a year after all.
My wife and I do not plan on doing anything other than what we would ordinarily do on a Saturday night.
The new year is Rosh Hashanah. We are Jews.
I’ll go to bed at the usual time. The year will change without my witnessing it, and we need our sleep at our age!
I have never liked New Year’s since I was a teen. Who wants to kiss a bunch of strangers?
Stay home make a nice dinner and watch TV with my two wonderful cats! PJC
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