For what it's worth:
We just held our 3rd annual New Year's Day party.
We kept the list down to thirty invites this year with the provision that they could bring guests. So the final count was well up there. But our friends also brought their favorite beverage and a favorite dish to share.
It was amazing how many said that they looked forward to this event as they no longer wanted to celebrate out in public what with all of the drinking and waiting around for 12 o'clock. And not doing anything on New Years Eve they felt a little left out.
Now they go to bed, when they feel like it......... happy that they had a party to attend the next day.
We even had a couple of worldly JW's attend because it was just a party.
The fun part is the new people we meet each year and keeping in touch with friends and family. Everybody pretty much has New Year's Day free so this has turned into a treat for all of us.
It's great to get together, share food and drink, catch up on all kinds of 'visit talk' and being aware of the passage of time......... not rushing on without looking back.
The children went from one 3 month old newbie to all the way to a couple of 90 year old's who were filled with great wisdom. I asked them if they knew the answers and they said yes.......... but no one asks them any questions! LOL....So we announced that these two 90 year old's had the answers to your questions and that kept them busy for the next couple of hours. They had a ball!
The kids, 5 to 9 years of age ran around in and out doors and their laughter and excitement was the counter balance to what many of us felt with yet another year over in our lives. Those young ones will carry on.
Making new and better friends is not hard if you put yourself out there.