What are you doing for New Year?

[PZ]

I'm planning the annual dinner club gathering at my place where we have a maximum of 6 people (including me and my wife). Guests are invited to stay the night in case they imbibe a bit too much 

We always have plenty of good food and drink, then play games or binge watch a good movie or series, and then as the new year arrives, go out to the bonfire to do fireworks and watch others do theirs.

This year the food will be:

• Pulled pork for sandwiches, eating by itself, and for hash browns the next day
• I ground up tri-tip that was as marbled as Waygu yesterday, and of course tried a couple last night - my wife said they were the best burgers she has ever eaten. This freshly ground beef will be used for sliders
• Jumbo shrimp and scallop sautee with bacon, garlic, green onion for freshness, and red pepper flakes
• Cheese and meat platter with home smoked cheeses, salami and prosciutto
• Home baked bread to go with the cheese
• Home baked goods including Parmesan shortbread - my personal favorite

[Art Blade]

sounds good, PZ

I'll have a peaceful quiet one at home. PC games and perhaps some flicks. I'll likely throw something together improvise some dinner. And I'll be hearing the fireworks mostly but seeing some of it, too. Living in the city centre, it's like a colourful carpet-bombing around me for like half an hour and I don't want to add anything to that.

[LowPolyOWG]

LAN party with a friend As for games, it's etiher The Division/GTA V or AC Origins

[fragger]

Awesome spread, PZ I'd love to be there! My stomach will be, in spirit

Quiet one for me too. A light salad dinner of some sort (too hot and humid for a big hot meal), a couple of beers, some FO4 until midnight when I'll go and watch the firework spectacular from Sydney on television, a few "Happy New Year" phone calls to friends and relos still living in the big smoke (they will be literally, by that time), then back to FO4 for an hour or two.

They're expecting a turnout of over a million people around the foreshores of Sydney Harbour for the fireworks. Some people have been camping out for a couple of days in order to secure the primo viewing spots. That's nuts Camp for two days just to watch 20 minutes of pyrotechnics while hordes of noisy inebriates tramp all around your "campsite" spilling their booze all over your tent and kicking your stuff around? Yeah, sounds like a real ball. Not for this little black duck, thanks very much. There'll be some cheers and a bit of car-horn tooting at midnight in my peaceful little pueblo and that will be it. And that's plenty for me, the city can keep its rowdy throngs. I used to be a rowdy thronger once, but those days are long past. I've earned my boring old fart status and I'm happy to rest on my laurels

Another year down... Blimey, where do they go?

[Art Blade]

just down the drain, like health and all that. Yep, same here, fragger, I can relate to your post. Too much hassle for my taste, and I don't have to be in a prime spot hours before the show begins here, either. So, quiet, and some FO4, perfect

[PZ]

I like it quiet too.  Lived in Southern California long ago and drove to see the fireworks, but even then the traffic was bad. Today I hear that you'll be in grid lock for several hours, if not most of the night.

I like hearing and seeing the fireworks in the distance - makes one feel truly isolated, without anyone nearby to spoil your enjoyment of solitude.

[Art Blade]

hey PZ, then you should revoke the invitations, have all the food for yourself and your darling, and be twice as happy.

[fragger]

Considering that fireworks go off way up in the air where they can be seen for miles around, I don't get why some people feel such a burning need to be right on the spot I suspect it has more to do with wanting to be in the party zone than just seeing the display.

When I lived in Sydney, I once let some friends talk me into joining them while they spent the whole day guarding a good vantage point at the Harbour's edge. After spending a long hot day baking in 30+ temperatures while sitting in one spot with nothing to do, followed by a night of being squeezed like a sardine in a tin by a dense crowd of noisy revellers, I thought, "What madness is this?" Never again.

[Art Blade]

 

[PZ]

 

It is actually not bad at all - there are only 6 of us total (that is my limit) and I'm the only one that goes outside to prepare the fire pit, light the wood and wait around until it is a roaring blaze. All of that takes about an hour, and I'll stick Champagne bottles in the snow, get the glasses ready, and simply stand by the growing crackling fire listening to the sounds of merriment in the far distance. Makes me feel like an observer from afar. Meanwhile, the rest are enjoying games, movies, small talk or eating.

[fragger]

That sounds like my kind of scene

[Art Blade]

I totally get it, PZ, and actually that sounds like what you need once a year.

[PZ]

  yes, indeed

[Art Blade]

it's so mild outside, I can run around in a tee (it's supposed to be winter which means snow..)

[BinnZ]

I will be playing board games until midnight listening to the Top 2000 (the 2000 best songs ever made, according to the Radio station's listeners.
And when the new year is there, I will do some fireworks with my daughter and wish all my neighbours a happy new year. And then maybe some booze at the neighbours... until we discover it's 4 o'clock in the morning and time to get some sleep