We're not big on New Year's Eve in our house.
We never go out or even look for anything to do. We get a bottle of champagne, make popcorn, watch some comedy, and when the time is nigh, tune in to the ubiquitous countdowns. In 1999, I really enjoyed watching the celebrations all over the world as the big odometer clicked over to 2000. It was wonderful thinking of people all over the planet sharing this event. But other than that, I don't generally find New Year's Eve too exciting. Our anniversary is three days later, and we save the real celebration for that.
This year we've rented the first season of Corner Gas on DVD. It's become one of our favourite shows. (RobfromAlberta, do you know I have you to thank for that?) We watched the first three episodes last night, and were really impressed. Often, when you see early episodes of good comedies - even ones that became monster hits, such as Seinfeld or, going further back, MASH or Mary Tyler Moore - you find they weren't funny yet. The characters aren't formed, the show feels like a rough draft. But the pilot episode of Corner Gas was hilarious. So this year, it's a Corner Gas New Year's Eve.
Are there any Canadian New Year's Eve traditions? Is there a Canadian equivalent of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve? (He's back, by the way, Regis is gone, praise the lord.)
4 comments:
An old friend was visiting from Manitoba yesterday, and he had a nice line about Saskatchewan's landscape. Maybe it's been mentioned in Corner Gas, I don't know:
Saskatchewan: The Land Where No Man Can Jump To His Death
Probably the biggest NYE "tradition" around here is the City TV New Year's bash. Lori & I don't do much NYE stuff either. This year we're going to a friend's party for a few hours -- that's a first.
I don't have a TV so when I was up at my Mum's for Christmas and they were running three episodes of Corner Gas in a row, I leapt at the opportunity to see what it's all about. (Thanks to hearing about it on your blog.) Very fun! I've only been to Saskatchewan once, but I absolutely loved it, to the point of having fantasies about moving there. Not sure I could take the winters, though.
The only particularly Canadian tradition I can think of for New Year's is actually from Newfoundland: coming out of your house at midnight and and banging pots, blowing whistles, etc, etc.
We tend to go to bed at the usual time; if perchance we are up, we say "Happy New Year!" and give each other a kiss. Booooooooring! For a while I was trying to start a tradition of having a New Year's Day levée, with friends dropping in and out on the first for snacks and drinks. Now we are back in the apartment and it feels too crowded.
I still like to go out on NYE. It's fun to see everyone celebrating the same event, and to take part in that with complete strangers who are, in that moment, all friends.
It's one of the reason I like the New Years' events at the bars ... the tickdown where everyone, for that moment, comes together, whether they know each other or not.
I still don't know what I'm doing for sure, but I know it will be downtown and we'll have a blast. God, I can't wait for this year to be over! Need the symbolism of a new start, fast.
Peace,
G
Remember that Dick Clark started his New Year tradition as the hip alternative to Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians.
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