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Oh New Year’s Eve, you’re such a shameless tease

Amy Crutchfield

by Amy Crutchfield

31 Dec 05:55am

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Filed under: 2012, Celebration, New Year, New Years Eve, Party

33 comments

New Year’s Eve, it’s such a tempestuous event. Loved so passionately by many, hated by perhaps as many others. And indeed basically ignored by a fair portion too.

All razzle, not a whole lot of dazzle

Underlying our conflicted emotions about NYE is the fact that it is the calendar equivalent of a cock-tease. The night that can promise so much and deliver so little.

Although I am not immune to it, I am still amused by the pressure the event seems to engender in many of us to be doing at least something, and if young and frisky to be doing something seriously cool, or at least something as good as all your friends, but preferably better.

This pressure enables all sorts of functions and services to extort customers in a way that is normally reserved for weddings.

In the CBDs, if the bain-marie laden buffet and covers band are a NYE buffet and cover band, that’ll be 300 bucks thanks. It is certainly reminiscent of the well-known blood-sport of charging brides for flowers, photos, clothes, cakes etc where those products miraculously metamorphose into wedding flowers, wedding photos, wedding clothes and wedding cakes and are priced accordingly miraculously. 

I digress. Anyway, I won’t be going to any NYE buffets with included glass of Moet to reaffirm self-perception as classy person as I enter the New Year.

Firing my partner-in-entertainment up about NYE is like moving a 12-year-old labrador out of a spot in the sun. We will do something, because I am a die-hard. 

Though given I will only be popping a couple of Glucosamine before heading out I suspect it will not be the wildest on record. I even anticipate waking in a house, rather than a car, bench, or floor. 

Moreover I’m putting my money on it being in my own house since if I am not home by breakfast the babysitter will be ready to move to Aspen for the rest of the season on the rates she has negotiated for this special evening.

One moderately frustrating aspect of my entertainment partner’s curmudgeonly attitude to NYE is that his negativity is not actually warranted by recent experience. 

He seems to have forgotten who it was last NYE that enjoyed a lunch on the water in Rose Bay to the extent that he was happy to remove his clothes at the threshold of the establishment and swim to a boat anchored some distance away in harbour, rather than twiddle thumbs waiting for tender.

Anyway he of the micromemory has now declared that he: “Can’t see any reason to celebrate NYE”. 

Moreover, this declaration has been delivered in a tone that clearly implies that there is no accounting for the amusement needs of the less evolved.

In the face of this sort of resistance, I have been forced to re-examine what it is about NYE that makes me feel the need to do something. Why is it that this night is special?

Well first, it’s a secular and thus potentially unifying celebration. But also I consider myself a backward thinker, which puts me in a group who are certainly less fashionable and far overshadowed by their counterparts, the forward thinkers. For me, NYE is not about next year, it’s about the year that was.

For some, the year that was may be best consigned to obscurity, but for me and for millions of others it has been a year generally filled with health, friends and happiness for us and our families, you cant really ask for much more.

In this way, NYE gets all mixed up with foreign notions like Thanksgiving.  Giving thanks is something many of us do not do explicitly at other times of the year, so I want to do it on the 31st of December. And I hope you can toast the year that was along with me.

Most commented

33 comments

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    • thatmosis says:

      06:16am | 31/12/11

      Every body asks “what are you doing for New Years” as though its a law that one must go out, spend money on watching aging overseas acts, watching millions of dollars worth of fireworks spew tonnes and tonnes of noxious gasses into the atmosphere to enjoy oneself. Personally a quiet drink of some non alcoholic beverage, my lovely lady and the quiet of our bush home is quite preferable to noisy, drunk, beligerant and dangerous people all striving to have a good time in spite of themselves, to wake up next morning, grab the Golf clubs and hit the fairways for a relaxing game of golf, or grab the fishing rods and hit the beach for a spot of fishing whilst the rest of the world gets over their self induced hangovers. Now thats how to nejoy a new years eve.

      Reply

    • Ricks says:

      06:17am | 31/12/11

      The new year is about looking fwd to seeing gillard gone smile

      Reply

    • holden says:

      10:13am | 31/12/11

      Ricks, who so admires the priest Abbott and the hypocrite Andrews, apparently, like those two believes in miracles.
      Silly little boy.
      A careful, caring and healthy 2012 to all. Yes, even Ricks.

    • mick says:

      01:36pm | 31/12/11

      Funny Rick I was looking forward to seeing Abbott gone.  Maybe we can get rid of them both.  At least Gillard is looking after average Australians rather than the big end of town, something you are probably not even aware of.  There is one born every minute.  Enjoy NYE.

    • mick says:

      07:23am | 31/12/11

      “Cocktease”?  Come on Amy, what is it with the foul mouthed female journos on this site.  Maybe just a gen y thing.

      Happy New Year.  Hope you are happier in 2012.

      Reply

    • rudy says:

      10:33am | 31/12/11

      You’re right, mick. Since Amy presumably doesn’t have a cock, she should have used a metaphor that suits her gender. That would be….er…oh, forget it.

    • mick says:

      01:38pm | 31/12/11

      Rude?  Couldn’t resist.  My last stir of the year.  Promise.

    • Tester says:

      02:27pm | 31/12/11

      Rudy,

      I think Mick was implying she didn’t need to swear at all. She could have simply said “tease” instead of “cock-tease”.

    • PW says:

      02:30pm | 31/12/11

      I think its called Penis Envy.

    • NESLIHAN KUROSAWA says:

      08:37am | 31/12/11

      Hi Amy,

      I am certain that some holidays might send some of us into a deep depression mode & send us into a quick reality check about what we have actually achieved in the past year!  Personally speaking, I like the idea of reflecting & taking notes of all the things that we could have all done better.  Somehow I always think if it is actually worth trying again or just letting go!

      The New Year might mean lots of excitement, fun & pleasure!  But that is only one day & night, what about the rest of 365 the days in the year?  That is most probably why most will choose to party with huge amounts of alcohol & fun people for the actual count down to 2012. Which helps to forget all our troubles & daily stress in a way bit like a band aid.

      Lets all hope that every one will get their share of peace, happiness, health & wealth in this coming year!  That is the power of positive thinking & mind over matter!  Best regards to your editors.

      Reply

    • Mahhrat says:

      09:01am | 31/12/11

      I’m quietly optimistic about 2012.  See, the “great unwashed” are getting angrier.  In really desperate areas like Egypt and Libya, we really saw it.

      Those that lust for unearned power should be on notice.  I think we’re getting sick of how poorly you run our lives.  Considering you kept us stupid, we probably don’t know what is ‘best for us’, but like art, I don’t need to understand that to know what I like and what I don’t, and rest assured, none of you in those high offices are liked at all.

      I just get the feeling that, globally, the majority of us are still responsible, sensible and kind-hearted, but we’re getting very pissed off and much better at seeing through the bullshit.  I smell a change.

      Reply

    • Bill says:

      09:48am | 31/12/11

      @ Mahrat-  who is this ‘you’ you keep referring to?

    • Arturo says:

      10:11am | 31/12/11

      @Mahhrat

      I agree,

      The whole of Africa will disappear in a puff of civil war and famine under the debilitating mass of an unsatisfied rapidly growing populations.  There will be continuing and increasing unrest for the majority of the middle east, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

      The high income (high GDP per person) countries of the world will experience a flood of Asylum Seekers from the poorer (low GDP per person) countries of the world.  With the current hopelessly incompetent Labor government in power, Australia can expect at least 30,000 illegal immigrants to arrive by illegal boats in 2012.  This will place enormous pressure on government budgets to provide the billions of dollars required for the housing, for the welfare, for the education, for the health care which these people need to live in Australia.  The impact of this will be magnified by the down turn in China causing a reduction in government revenue and the fact that the Australian Labor Government is already deep in deficit with the current government deficit for this financial year set at about $40 billion.

    • Julie says:

      10:12am | 31/12/11

      Sometimes I wish there was a ‘like’ button after comments. I concur Mahhrat.

    • mick says:

      01:43pm | 31/12/11

      Mahhrat -  I’m glad you are optimistic.  I’ll make the call that Australia is going to feel a Chinese slowdown and that the complacent politicians and businessmen in this nation will suddenly be in a panic as they realise that we need (national) income to pay for all those imported goods we have to buy because it has been expedient to destroy our manufacturing industry bu opening it up to full competition with the third world.  Watch this space.  I hope that I am wrong but it is likely that it will start to unfold this way….....we all deserve the politicians we elect.

    • rudy says:

      10:38am | 31/12/11

      Governments don’t ‘run our lives’, at least not in Australia. If you think they do, that’s your problem right there. Sure, there are laws and taxes, but all the important decisions, you’re free to make yourself. And the beginning of 2012 is a great time for all of us to review those decisions we’ve made, or put off making, whatever our government might be doing..

      Reply

    • Al says:

      08:36am | 01/01/12

      Rudy, yes we can make al the important decisions like:
      To end our lives at a time of our choosing.
      To not buy into the myth that recycling paper helps the enviroment and choose not to recycle.
      To not have laws restricting the actions a person can take regarding their own body (as long as they only hurt themselves who cares right).
      To be treated equaly no matter what race or sex we are.

      Oh wait, thats right, we DON’T, we are forced to comply with certain laws that are nothinng but protecting certain sectors of the community from feeling they might be wrong.

    • Bridget says:

      11:06am | 31/12/11

      Or you could come see some good original bands for $5 tonight. Just saying

      Reply

    • ba'al says:

      11:31am | 31/12/11

      @mahhrat,
      remember that even our revolutions only serve to further enslave us. We need evolution not revolution.

      Reply

    • Brenda says:

      11:56am | 31/12/11

      Well, how nice to see the author of this piece further humiliate my gender.  Just when I thought Australian women couldn’t possibly sink any lower.

      There’s a name for common women who throw unfeminine, man-like language around in public places and it’s not one that decent Australian females should aspire to.

      Disgusting.

      Reply

    • Bill says:

      12:22pm | 31/12/11

      Unfortunately I have to agree with you Brenda. Austrlalian women are by far intelligent, decent, respectful people, but every now and then, they are let down by someone who would rather shock the public instead of adding to the debate.

      I can think of a number of leftist females who fit that description.

    • marley says:

      12:49pm | 31/12/11

      @Bill and Brenda - I have to assume one of you is a troll and the other is a sock puppet.  Well done, the pair of you.

    • amy says:

      03:44pm | 31/12/11

      With the upmost respect…

      F*** that, I enjoy a good swear now and again (and are you familiar with the term double standard?) , forgive me also if I dont wear dresses and like to bake,

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      02:12pm | 31/12/11

      Sydney, we are told is going to have Two Huge Fireworks Displays. One at 8.00pm & the reely, reely (yes, I know! Spelling) Big One at Midnight.
      All great fun
      But where are all the Climate Change nazis?Ssurely they should all be out protesting about all that pollution, the extra CO2 (if there is some out of it)?
      Or is it that most of them will be out of their minds as a result of smoking lots of pot, swallowing tabs of some chemical upper made out of Ajax & Carb Soda & washing it all down with ship-loads of alcohol that they won’t even notice?
      Happy New Year!

      Reply

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      02:13pm | 31/12/11

      PS.
      I don’t know if fireworks give off CO2 or not!
      I just love the smell of them!!

      Reply

    • PW says:

      02:38pm | 31/12/11

      Brenda, if you are offended by language other females might use, just because they are female, and particularly such an innocuous vulgarity, well I think you need a Bex and a good lie down.

      As Rodney Rude used to say….just jokes, just jokes.

      Reply

    • Cate says:

      02:49pm | 31/12/11

      A year older and closer to poverty.  Happy New Year to those who can lift their spirits high enough. I personally am retiring early as it is a never ending cycle of misery with this Government. World disasters and people throwing helpless pets out of windows.

      Reply

    • PW says:

      06:03pm | 31/12/11

      Poverty??? Cate it appears you are rich enough to have a computer and an internet connection. And I’m sure a bed to sleep in when you retire tonight. I suspect you wouldn’t know poverty if it bit you on the arse.

    • mick says:

      04:14pm | 31/12/11

      Cate -  money ain’t everything.  Those who have none despair and those who have heaps spend their time looking after it.

      Don’t blame the current government for “misery”.  All the Abbott trolls will jump on the band wagon.  The reality is that the previous Liberal Government governed in the good times.  Hence the saying about Costello in his hammock….he could do no wrong.  The current government is governing in very difficult times as the world around us is falling to bits. If anything the current government is too kind and gives money to those who “choose” not to work and not to produce anything other than more Australians.  It would be nice if Gillard did the politically unsavory thing of reducing benefits all round to get the bludgers off their rear ends and doing something to pay their way…..and this includes the ridiculous Baby Bonus - my daughter in law used hers for a horse float.  Derrrr.

      Have a nice NYE all.

      Reply

    • PW says:

      05:46pm | 31/12/11

      Mick, governments of all persuasions love babies, because babies = growth. Just like immigration does.

    • Against the Man says:

      07:23pm | 31/12/11

      Sad to see some people are so Labor brainwashed to see the forest for the trees. The current government is run by idiots. If the majority of this country sees it that way, it is sad to see the arrogance of some people who think they know better smile

      2011 was a win for me, and 2012 will see my vision come true.

      Happy New Year Ya’ll smile

    • stephen says:

      12:32am | 01/01/12

      It was a ‘shameless tease’.
      Now it’s a tameless sleaze ... and, l-l-loving it.

      Yahooo…...

      Reply
 
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