What is everyone doing for New Years?

I really don't like NYE with all the seemingly forced jollity - I'm from up north where it was always a huge night and I loved it as a child. Mum icing the Christmas cake, complete with those 'bullet' silver balls, which wasn't cut until midnight and Dad being sent out of the house with a piece of coal so he could 'first foot'. My wonderful relatives all having a great time then calling round at each others after 12. No TV just Jimmy Shand and his band playing Scottish reals. Once we moved Mum still kept up with the piece of coal tradition until we had a gas fire fitted but right up until she was in her mid 80's she still never cut the cake until the day and would always have us round for dinner on New Years Day. Now my family are miles (and a continent) away and there's just the two of us we are usually in bed well before 12. I've had flu for the last few days so last night gave in at 10 without even a drink for company! Hope 2016 is a good year for everyone!

Tall, dark, handsome first footer? No, she is about 6 inches off the floor, dark, but going grey now, and not handsome but extremely beautiful. My beloved doggie, let out for her ablutions after midnight and so let in the New Year.

Who did it at your home?

Recovering from shocking sore throat DGS left with us on Monday!

P.S. Easter eggs in Tescos!!!!!!!!!!!

We always go to bed for New Years Eve as we can't stay up late. It is a pain when the fireworks all go off. Do feel an old f- - -.
A very pretty young girl on the till at Tescos asked excitedly what we were doing. It reminded me of going to parties with friends and getting soaked in Trafalgar Square many years ago.

How life changes.

I went out this afternoon with a friend and we called in Aldi for some veg and chatting to the young chap on the till I asked what his p!ans for the evening were. He said well I'm out for dinner but nothing after that. I'm past anything after that. I expressed my amazement and he said well I am 26. I was so shocked, I was over 70 when I felt like that.

May just take a 5min walk to first-foot DS at his flat where he is preparing dinner for family tomorrow. Refusing offers of help as it's his treat! On his own as fiancee's on duty tonight and tomorrow. I'll be home and abed by 00.30!

I was beginning to think Gransnet was a site for party poopers
Some people love parties (and I do occasionally!), some people prefer a quiet night in; I do remember going to one NY party at a neighbours' house a week after DC1 was born (DP babysat).
I slept through most of the evening!

Ana I've been saving up my energy for days, doing nothing, not wasting it on needless things like housework, and building myself up with mince pies and chocolate.

Been shopping for most of the day. Now with family. We think we will be snoring in the New Year.

Elegran, you must be super-fit to be leaping out of armchairs - what's your secret?

Somehow I managed to delete the first bit of that post.

It started - I shall be sitting reading and/or watching the TV or a recording of something until about five minutes to midnight, then I shall leap out of my armchair etc etc etc

i'll be out of my armchair and fill a glass with the first thing to hand so as to be able to toast 2016. Go out of front door to watch distant fireworks and see whether any neighbours are out and about, then off to bed.

Slainte mhar to everyone.

I am with Rosequartz and Wheniwasyourage in preferring to call it New Year or New Year's Eve - (New Years is meaningless. If it is plural how many new years? If it is possessive and should have an apostrophe, the new year's what?) - but I assumed that petitpois must be from the States, where that is what they call it.

(What was that quote about two nations divided by a single language?)

Before we moved here, we had a park just across the road from us, from the top of which you could see right across the city. It became a custom, which started with the Millenium, to gather there, weather permitting, to watch the fireworks and toast the New Year with friends, neighbours and complete strangers. A very heartening experience!

I expect I shall be tucked up with a good book - and maybe a glass of sherry, long before midnight, but the local celebrations and fireworks will wake me, so I shall get up for a few minutes, and shout New Year greetings out of the window to anyone passing. I know I'm a mad old bat, but I'm happy with it
To all Gransnetters, and Grandads of course, may I wish you the very happiest and healthiest of times in 2016, and may at least some of your dreams come true!

For years we have spent New Year's eve with a couple of close friends. He died two years ago and for obvious reasons, she is no longer inclined towards the usual celebrations and said she would rather not be away from home for the evening. So the three of us had a lovely lunch and a nice afternoon together, and DH and i will have a quiet NYE. A couple of good malts and some nibbles - may or may not be up at the witching hour. A Happy and prosperous New Year to all Gransnetters!

As long as the DC are happy .....

I am very much looking forward to watching the panda babies later on TV.

We were just intending to sit in the house with a meal and a drink and watch the bells with Jackie Bird, but we've just been invited to a friend's with others of our close friends (some of whom have not been well recently, so it'll be a moderately restrained evening, which is probably good for us all). We're looking forward to it!

Roast lamb for lunch tomorrow, preceded by the NY bubbles.

rosequartz, I'm with you on the "New Years" - it's so American!

Happy New Year, when it comes, to all GNers!!

Just posted on Soops thread. We have been given the M&S meal by ex DiL and it looks delicious. The bottle of Shiraz looks inviting too.

I am watching old movies until my husband comes back from work with the take away. Then we will see in the New Year, and go straight to bed.

Can I join the moaners please? I hate New Year's Eve, not sure why but I find it depressing. We used to go to parties years ago but now it seems to be just the two of us staying in. We are however meeting up with the family for a pub lunch tomorrow, so that will be nice. I hope you all enjoy whatever you do tonight.

We are going out for a meal in Kew with a group of about 12. We were going to go to Kew Gardens first as they put on a very nice winter wonderland light display Christmas time through to New Year which we went to last year, but as we have coughs at the moment so decided against it. Son and girlfriend are staying at ours and are cooking a Thai meal and then going out with a group of their friends but promise they aren't going to overdo it this year so they can actually get up and have a smoked salmon and scrambled egg breakfast with us tomorrow. We'll see!