Yappy Hew Near! Umm, Happy New Year! (whatever)

Well, it's New Years Eve and time to celebrate. Someone asked me the other day what it was we were celebrating. There are no historical events to commemorate, no famous birthdays. The only real difference between December 31st and January 1st is the number of the year which follows it (something that takes my hand about a month to get used to writing on checks and forms) -so just what is all the celebration about? 

I guess we are all just happy to have survived another 365 days and think that starting the New Year with a hangover will somehow make it a better year than the last. If that were the case then I should have had a lot of years that turned out better than the one before.

By the way, how many of you knew that the New Year only started on January 1st very recently (historically speaking)? In western culture they only started doing that in the 1700's. Before that it was celebrated at different times in different countries, usually in March. Many cultures today still consider the year to start at different times. 

When I was a kid I thought it should start in July -that way the school year could start and end in the same calendar year. But, as I got older, I realized that was not such a good idea because we were on Summer Break in July and why have a holiday when you are already on break?

Another bad thing about celebrating it in January is the weather. Is it really a good idea to go out, drink champagne at midnight and then travel home in all that nasty winter weather? 

Which of course brings me to another important subject regarding the New Year. What ever you do, please do not go out, enjoy those cocktails and then get behind the wheel of a car. 

The last thing you want to do is start the year off trying to beg mercy from that nice policeman (you won't get it) or explaining to your insurance agent how that dent got in your fender -not to mention the possibility that you'll get injured or injure some one else. Trust me, I speak from experience, it is better to make sure you have a designated driver or a taxi take you home -or just stay home to start with. If the party is so irresistible you must go, save a few bucks for a cab, it's money well spent.

OK, enough of the lecturing. It is time for me to let you get on with getting your tux brushed up and ready.

I just want to wish you all a very

Happy and Prosperous New Year!  

Live Long and Prosper.....