I was thinking how I never really was much of a New Year's Eve person.
I've never gone out and bought a special party dress to ring in the new year, gone to big raging parties or put much emphasis on who I would kiss when the clock struck midnight.
Sure I've always managed to stay up to see the ball drop even if it was just me, a bottle of Two-Buck-Chuck and an extra cheese and sausage pizza.
Then I realized I was wrong.
As a kid I remember being allowed to stay up late for my parent's annual parties that were in our basement/bar. There was always a six-foot-long sub sandwich that our family would eat for days afterward. It was fun watching my parents friends blast their eight tracks, put on party hats and do the hustle together.
When I finally turned 21 I remember getting all dolled up and going with a boyfriend to a fancy French bistro for cocktails, dinner and dancing to fantastic live music.
In my mid-20's I spent several New Year's celebrating on various military bases across Europe and Asia, performing in Department of Defense shows entertaining the troops stationed overseas.
So maybe I'm wrong -- maybe I am a New Year's Eve girl after all.
Ringing in the new year with a 6 and 8 year old is kind of different, and kind of the same.
Sure I won't be out dancing to live music or toasting in 2014 under a tent in Germany or Bosnia. But I will be hanging out with a group of funny, loud people who are going to get more and more out of control as the evening goes on.
No need for noise makers -- this is New Year's Eve with kids.
The pre-func.
We will prepare to party down with some drinking games. Sorry! Trouble! And anything else that ends in an exclamation point! I can open that bottle of wine I've been saving and they can open that bottle of Martinelli's they've been saving. Fancy glasses all around.
Getting ready.
New outfits for everybody! We'll all be rockin' our pj's that we got from Santa. Mine are flannel...heaven. I'm just grateful for any party where I don't feel the need to squeeze into some Spanx.
Food.
Pizza! Chips! Popcorn! Pigs in a blanket! Sweets! A buffet of party treats spread across the kitchen table buffet style to take into the living room and eat. It's a party!
Entertainment.
TV -- whatever is on Nickelodeon, maybe we'll watch that Despicable Me 2 DVD they got for Christmas, and of course the ball drop at midnight.
Dancing.
You bet there will be dancing; I'll be shaking my booty doing Disney's "Just Dance" game on the Wii. I'm especially good at dancing with two vampires to that Monster song from Hotel Transylvania.
And to close the evening following the big countdown from 10 and some banging of pots and pans, I will take care of two stumbling, bumbling people. All giggling and giddy I will make sure they wash their face and brush their teeth and get them to bed safe and sound.
See? Kind of the same, right? And the bonus -- the best people to plant kisses on at midnight.
