New Year Traditions

It's 9:19 on New Year's Eve. The baby is slumbering away in his crib with a board book copy of "I Am Not Sleepy!" spread open on his chest. We're sitting in a slightly messy living room, each at our respective technological device with Big Bang Theory playing in the background. Our usual tradition has technically ended.

I've never attended one of those "wear a cocktail dress, drink excessively, use a noisemaker, hurt in the morning" shindigs. Maybe one day when we "grow up" (ie when the kids are out of the house) and if it's more like those festive parties you see in old movies. Yes. Take me to the Holiday Inn the night Fred Astaire stops by drunk to take over the dance floor. I want to go to there.

(Side note -- He was really plastered, taking 2 shots after each take. Now we can all die happy knowing that little tidbit.)

As long as I've known Dave, we haven't "partied" for New Year. The first year or two, I tagged along with him as he did live shots at the Ilion ball drop. All I recall is freezing weather (like, butt numbingly cold) and running into former students-turned-hoodlums while fearing that they'd make rude gestures behind Dave on camera. Fun, but as long as I was with my honey, it was cool.

Several years back, however, we landed into a new routine for welcoming the new year. All we really need are two things: Chinese food and any "Thin Man" movie.

I know some folks have reasons of luck for consuming Chinese food, but we really don't have a reason. It's definitely a big treat for us since we don't eat the stuff during the rest of the year. This year, we even gave Hadley a bit -- some rice, some chicken (sweet 'n sour without the sweet 'n sour), and some of my vegetable chow mein. We know it's not sourced, um, well...at all? And there are GMOs and probably worse. But, we realize that it's important for him to grow up with the knowledge but without the feeling that it's a sin to eat something -- forcing someone to do something will only lead to eventual choices to the contrary.

I'm not sure why we watch a "Thin Man" movie -- aside from the fact that a couple take place near Christmas/New Year's Eve, and they're awesome. Seriously, if you've never seen any of the seven (I think seven) movies, you should. I'm a HUGE Kate Hepburn/Spencer Tracy fan...and I still think that there's a chance that William Powell and Myrna Loy (who I consider mediocre in most of her other films...there, I said it) may beat them as far as on-screen j'en est c'est quoi is concerned. They're easy to watch. They deliver jokes without hitting you over the head with them. Their relationship is relate-able, yet a thing you'd like to aspire to. Plus, these particular partnerships involve exciting mystery-driven plots that are only enhanced by the humor.

So, that's it. Chow mein and "Thin Man." It's not much, but it's ours. Oh, and of course reiterating to each other how wonderful it is to be home -- not to be braving a freezing, stormy night to fight crowds of people we don't know while trying to focus on not falling asleep before midnight while worrying about keeping a babysitter up.

Raise your hand if you hunker down at home for your own "non-celebratory celebration" or if you're cool enough to party with the rest of the human race. :-)