It's almost New Years Eve! Personally, I'll be avoiding all people, parties and pizzaz in favour of cats, a couch and comfort.
But if you're planning a party but haven't managed to get past just thinking of an entree these 3 simple ideas (no really, they're pretty simple) will make it look as though you've actually given some thought to the planning as opposed to just the partying.
For those more inclined to go the couch route, all recipes and ideas can be converted to accommodate a party of one.
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Laura
Happiest of New Years to you!!
Su
Happy New Year Karen! Thank you for all the sharing of such great ideas with us! In our neighborhood around about 11:30 we al crawl out of our warm home for the annual keg drop at midnite complete with a roaring bonfire.... bottles of differnt brews are passed around and shared :) We usually bring our own and don't share cause ya never know where that bottle has been....
Heather (mtl)
I plan to do the same couch thing. In fact, I think I'll make myself a cheese fondue, or something equally lazy. As long as I don't let my cat Juniper see my glass by the chesterfield, I'll be fine. Otherwise, I'll lose my spot. Does that happen to anyone else? It's like he has ESP or something.
Happy New Year fun people! May time be kind and peace find us all.
Catherine Simonelli
AND Happy 70th to EV WILCOX .. you made it, New Year's baby!!!
Catherine Simonelli
Hi all .. ALL you cool people that follow this "awesome" blog(?). How fortunate are we to have someone to count on for our entertainment (whilst learnin' us some neat stuff) and know she'll come through every time??? We are blessed to be sure!!!
I haven't made the time in several months to keep up with the witty articles, so it's gonna be one of my new year's resolutions to do so ...selfishly I get much joy from the stories from Karen and the rest of you chiming in. I feel less alone, which I often feel, and take comfort in knowing we are a community-of-sorts who "get" each other :)
May 2016 be an even better year for us all .. creatures included ... in each corner of the world!!!
Lesley on "The Mountain"
No snow to speak of here in Holiday Valley, NY, so no skiing. However we will still walk out to the Sunrise run before midnight to watch the fireworks with our friends like we have for the past 5 years. Then it's back to the chalet for a dance party in the driveway and garage, while the other people drive by us and very likely think how odd we Canadians are. Happy New Year everyone!
maggie van sickle
Reading All the Light You Cannot See as we speak but we are going to the neighbours for a bonfire, food and drinks weather permitting New Year's Eve. We have quite a bit of snow here in Ennismore so hope it stays for the festivities. I like snow. Happy New Year Karen and have a great evening with your furry babies.
Julia (mumo3kids)
Looking forward to more hilarity coupled with life changing information in 2016...
Happy New Year Karen,
Julia x
Ev Wilcox
We too will most likely be in front of our TV, watching an endless loop of fireplace sans Christmas Carols! I will be reading the last book of the Outlander series (excellent, will be sorry when I finish it)!
I will be looking at the tree and planning it's going back in storage-it is so easy. I bit the bullet and bought the wheels-now all we have to do is take off ornaments and pull the tree bag up! I have been able to put it in our bay window, moving it in front of living room door for our gathering, then move it back to the window- love it! Then my stalwart husband and son will get to (tee hee!) carry it to basement.) But I digress. You see, New Years day I will be 70! Yikes! So I get to wander a bit, yes? I found actual scallops (not teeny bay scallops) on sale in the store today, so I will be having a still rather expensive dinner and Black Velvet. Then I'll really be wandering! Happy New Year Karen and all your fans too! We love you, sight unseen!
Jan in Waterdown
Careful there Girl, they may put wheels on you too! Happy B-Day on New Years!!!
And btw, did you know you may be able to change the regular default audio on your tv from carols to the alternate audio of a crackling fire? Check the "menu" button.
Grammy
For New Year's Eve, I have the perfect plan already. My grandson is six, and he's spent every New Year's of his life with me and grandpa. We wear party hats, have hors d'oeuvres for dinner (like cheese, crackers, crudités) and sip sparkling apple cider from my grandmother's little wine glasses. We find the "dropping of the ball in Times Square" on some cable station that run's it live, as opposed to time-delayed for different time zones. Since we're on the west coast, the ball drops at 9 p.m. The three of us count down, do noisemakers, declare it's the new year, and the kid is in bed and asleep by 9:15. He's learning to tell time now, so I may have to think next year of some way to con him into thinking it's midnight, or maybe he'll still be happy that our tradition continues and he won't care.
Happy New Year to all of you.
Grammy
That's "runs it live". I wish I could correct myself without it being so obvious to the world that I goofed.
Ev Wilcox
Well done from one Grammy to another!
Jan in Waterdown
You sound like the bestest kind of Grammy . . . the kind I'd like to have 'cept I'm too old!
Donna
I will cuddle with my pug. We returned yesterday from visiting daughter in Utah. Horrible drive following Goliath but some of us had to go back to work today. Not me of course. I'm retired. My husband did and then when he got there they didn't need him and sent him home. We could have stayed in frigid Utah playing with the grands. But little snotty pug is thrilled to be home. Three days Ina poorly designed car(got to be a better doggy safety seat) didn't please the princess. We got home and she promptly ran to my side of the bed and made sure I would have no room. Pugs aren't really supposed to pushy but she thinks everything is all about her...
Auntiepatch
Everything IS all about her! Have you learned nothing???
Donna
You are so right. I have evidently learned nothing. She certainly rules the roost here.
Grammy
Donna, we got a harness for our 35 lb. dog (they come in five sizes from XSmall to XLarge) and it is wonderful. Last week we took our boy on a 200 mile round trip with no problems. You put the harness on the dog, then clip the harness to a connector that fits on the seatbelt. He could lie down, sit, stand, and even take a step to the side throughout the trip, so he didn't feel too constrained. If a fast stop is required, it works just like the seatbelts do for humans and keeps the dog safely in place. Ours is Kurgo, but there are other brands. You might want to check them out.
Nancy Blue Moon
GET AWAY FROM THAT COMPUTER NOW!!!!...also have a Happy warm New Years at home...
Eve@BlueRidgeRunner
I can't even stay awake to midnight any more. If I did, it would take me three days to recover from it. Me, hubby and doggie will be going the couch route too.
Mark
I'm kinda fooded and visited out so have no plans this New Years Eve... except maybe to turn on the fireplace and read that book you recommended - All the Light you Cannot See. (Thanks for that.)
Jan in Waterdown
"Turn on the fireplace" made me smile. I do that too, only it is on tv in all its crackling, smokeless beauty! We have a real one, beautiful double-sided wood burning, in the great room but we don't sit there. So all cozy amenities, Xmas tree, pillows, throws and close proximity to food and wine are in the tv room. Ahhhh . . . good times!
Happy New Year, Karen and to all the great folks on here from around the world who add to the fun and make this planet of ours a better place to be!
A toast to 2016 and peace, please let there be peace.
Benjamin
Hey what are you doing !!! You are supposed to be relaxing in tropical Canada on your porch swing making pizza and eating bags of chips... What's that? You missed us so much you had to check in? What a dear, how sweet you are. We miss you too. Happy New Year!! Now go have a long soak in a hot tub and binge-watch old episodes of early Will-n-Grace... LOL. blink blink long pause, I see you still here sister. What am I gonna do with you. sigh
Danni
Happy New Year!
I shamed the boss into letting me paint the office, so I'm super happy that I have something to do other than the couch/comfort thing... because I don't have a cat, my other thing would be "chow".... as in chow down anything that can't run away from me. (and even then, it better just run faster than me :D)
Jan in Waterdown
Hey! I thought you were supposed to be doing dick all this week!? Just can't trust anyone these days . . .
:-D
jillian
Happy New Year Karen! I'll be doing the same as you, cuddling with my kitten, Fletcher, and sitting on the couch watching movies. Enjoy!
Marta
I will accommodate these News Year's ideas for a party of two : )
Could I ask a favor for next year? Could you share you solo photography tricks? I find it the most difficult part of blogging...
Thanks, Karen, for all the ideas & laughs this past year!
-M