Yep, Happy New Year 2020 to those born between 1946 and 1964 (Baby Boomers) and those born before 1946, which is called the Silent Generation. Wife and I are the early Baby Boomers, born in 1948/1949.
I remember, years ago, when I single/divorced and lived in So California, going to Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, CA in the afternoon one year, to wait for the Rose Parade to start the next morning. It was me and a girl I was seeing and we had fold-up chairs, pillows and blankets with us. Didn't get much sleep, but sure seen a wonderful parade "up and close". Another year, I went to a New Year's Even Party at an equestrian center/rodeo grounds. That was pretty cool. Since I've been married now, that New Year's Eve Party thing has stopped completely. There have been a few times wife and I have stayed up until the New Year came in, but generally not. Are you celebrating New Year's Eve or...……..
Ya know, Cody, I can't remember ever going to a New Year's Eve party except as a kid at one of my relatives houses. I think it was more popular with my parents' generation, celebrating the end of WW2, the end of the Depression, etc. I did go out to a fancy restaurant once in Ohio on New Year's Eve back in the Seventies. I don't remember a thing about it, even whether we stayed until midnight or not. I was never much for parties and large groups of people anyway. I'll probably have one shot of Old Crow right at midnight, watch the confetti at Times Square on TV, and that's about it.
My Honey celebrates it, even buying some fire works to set off. I am usually sleeping but will often wake up when all the fireworks go off...sometimes I even get up and go wish my Honey "Happy New Year!" We always celebrate New Year's Day by eating our traditional meal of pork, cabbage, black-eyed peas, and cornbread. New Year's Day is often a day of reflection for us of the past year and our hopes for the New Year. Some years we have gone over to my middle daughter's home and watched the big Church's (across from her home) fire works display. They don't do it anymore though so now if we go we all bring our own fire works to set off. Tonight my daughter's husband is making a big pot of gumbo for us to share along with the fireworks...but my Honey and I will be staying home tonight...we just aren't up to all this tonight.
I haven't been to an actual NYE party since the late 80's. When our kids were younger we always went to city fireworks displays, and set off firecrackers in the yard. We live just outside the city limits so the whole neighborhood goes nuts with fireworks for about a week, which gets annoying after the first day.
When we lived in So California, we seen some kind of ad talking about one or two New Year's Eve Parties onboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The one that drew our attention was for older folks that included a Big Band era band, however we didn't go. I also remember, back in 1978, I was working part-time as a Bouncer (yes, you read right) in a rock & roll nightclub. Had a full-time day job and worked the Club three nights a week. That only lasted a few weeks. Had to work on New Year's Eve night. The staff and owner had a meeting where the owner told all of us "this is the biggest night of the entire year for us. There are those that don't go much, if any, during the year, but will go out on New Year's Eve to party. So, we have to be ready." We had a couple of incidents, including drinking on the dancefloor, but nothing real serious. But, talking about a "packed house", wow! A line outside to get in.
I'm a Depression Era Baby, born in 1936, during FDR's first Administration. The Baby Boomers were born after WW2...I was born before WW2! Regardless of all this, I'm wishing ALL Forum Members a Happy 2020! Hal...(Entering my 2nd year of Membership in Feb, 2020)
At our last apt. complex, on both 4th of July and New Year's Eve, we heard guns being shot off. I knew one young boy whom, him and his father were evicted for the father shooting his handgun off on New Year's Eve. Wonder what tonight will be like here. Like our old complex, neither fireworks or gunfire are allowed, but we know how some people are...…."don't care about rules, will do it anyway". For New Year's Day, wife will make us a blackeye peas and ham in the crockpot for dinner. Will also watch the Rose Parade.
When I was young and single, I lived in NYC and we partied like there was no tomorrow. Never, never went near Times Square. That's for out ot towners.