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'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

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  • 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

    I found myself thinking of the new years eves when I was growing up. The ones that stand out in my mind were when staying at my Nan and Granddad's and seemed to me as a child to be so 'magical', even though I obviously had to be in bed well before midnight In my mind it was always very cold and normally dry, I would go to sleep knowing that the adults were up doing 'grown up' New Years Eve things involving, neighbours, music, alcohol etc waiting for the clock to strike midnight and there was a real sense of anticipation and magic hanging in the air.

    I can remember being so tired, but making myself wake up near the midnight hour so I could feel the 'magic'. I would become aware of the growing sound of laughter and music in the road, getting louder and louder as midnight approached, then some years I would suddenly hear loud singing and laughter getting closer and closer accompanied by the banging and clanging of pots and pans being drummed up and down the street, as neighbours spilled out on the road and made their way merrily to your door, some years this was accompanied by the haunting sound of the bagpipes being played as there was a Scottish man in the road who would put on his kilt and pipe Auld Lang Syne amongst others, amazing.

    The door would knock and Granddad would throw it open to welcome in the New Year, by now I had crept in to the hallway with it came the icy chill of the gust of cold magical 'New' air, greetings and shouts of "Happy New Year" would be exchanged and even as a child I remember feeling emotional hearing the haunting sound of those bagpipes and feeling that cold air. I also remember sometimes a piece of coal was given. There would be the smell of the Whiskey and Sherry etc being handed out, it was always all laid out in preparation along with nibbles etc on the walnut drinks table I can still smell it to this day, and of course have never forgotten those precious 'magical' new years eve memories.

  • #2
    Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

    Apart from 1987, the first year I was allowed to stay upto midnight, & the Millennium eve, I've always found New Years Eve to be over-rated most of the time.

    This is mostly because it marks the end of the Christmas period will be over in a few days & I'll would be back at school or work.
    The Trickster On The Roof

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    • #3
      Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

      I never thought New Year's Eve was up to much to be honest. Christmas Eve is magical when you are a child and also enjoyable for adults. New Year's Eve seems a bit empty and pointless somehow and marks the end of the holiday as the previous poster says.

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      • #4
        Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

        Yes, I was allowed to stay up late for end of the old year and the start of the new year - probably a film on ITV we would be watching up until Midnight - 1988 into 1989 was Saturday night going into Sunday morning. In 1992 there was the final programme from Thames with clips from their shows as they were to go off the air at midnight and be replaced by the dreaded Carlton, and of course 1999 there was the millennium celebrations. I still have the ITV programme on tape of the new millennium coverage and Big Ben (no scaffolding in those days) striking midnight - the Millennium Bug did not strike, I had some Tesco Value Shepherd's Pies in the oven and I toasted the big occasion with a small bottle of champagne which I had kept in the fridge ever since my 18th birthday back in August 1996. Looking back on the adverts in years to come back it even nostalgic than the BBC 2000 Today coverage that was on the other side.

        I still record the Big Ben striking midnight when it comes around each year, and the Mary Poppins-alike fireworks exploding around it for the first ten minutes, along with some C-list celebrity interviewing the crowds below. Amazing how many fireworks Westminster City Council can afford each year from their council tax collections!

        The fact that New Year's Day didn't become an official Bank Holiday until 1974 (I believe that it was already a Bank Holiday in Scotland at that point hence 2nd January also being a Bank Holiday as well) is probably one reason why it felt to some people as empty and pointless - I think that as New Year's Day is on the same day of the week as Christmas Day the week before is one reason why people make comparison with it and obviously thinking of it like that. Indeed, television schedules from the 1960s and 1970s feel low-key slightly compared to later years apart from the final hour of the old year and the first hour of the new year. It does feel that New Year is actually on the "home stretch" of coming out of Christmas and going back to normal (school, work etc) three or four days later. World in Action was on New Year's Day in 1968 for example.
        I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
        There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
        I'm having so much fun
        My lucky number's one
        Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

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        • #5
          Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

          [QUOTE=CrystalBall;231132]I never thought New Year's Eve was up to much to be honest. Christmas Eve is magical when you are a child and also enjoyable for adults. New Year's Eve seems a bit empty and pointless somehow and marks the end of the holiday as the previous poster says.[/QUOTE/ I agree with the fact that Christmas Eve is more magical in a league of it's own obviously 😀 and yes NYE did mark the end of the festive period and the holidays, which l was very aware of:cry: but yet for me there was still something special and magical about that particular night when l was little, l wasn't bothered about New years day. Things are a lot different now of course, now l wonder what all the fuss was about

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          • #6
            Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

            As a kid i lived very close to the docks and at midnight all the ships that were moored up would blow there horns in unison, then there would be half an hour of fireworks followed by silence. These days the said docks are now gone and new years are spent watching Jools hollands hogmanny with a scotch in one hand and a pork pie in the other
            Ejector seat?...your jokin!

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            • #7
              Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

              It probably depends upon your upbringing. NYE wasn't a big thing in our family but I know some made a big fuss out of it. Rather a 'Marmite issue' with friends and colleagues - some really like it and others cannot stand it.

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              • #8
                Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

                Aaah yes Tex, I love the sound of the ships horns and the fireworks to, we had those then and we still get these now, very atmospheric ( if I'm still awake by then, which I can't always be bothered to be ). I think the magical NYE memories I have from back then are special because it was a different era (early 80's) when people were more neighbourly, old fashioned traditions, someone playing the bagpipes, pots and pans being drummed up the street, coal being given out, and seeing and smelling the little sherry flutes etc being lined up, it all seemed so glamorous and magical as a child. Growing up later on we never made a huge deal of it, went out some years, the odd party etc but as a little girl at Nan and Granddad's house I was lucky enough to sneakily observe what I now realise were some very special moments that I've never forgotten, or witnessed since.

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                • #9
                  Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

                  I have always been awake at midnight on New Year's Eve for as long as I remember - I have always thought to myself, why would I be asleep at that time even if I would usually be so? It is something that one wouldn't miss out on.
                  I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
                  There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
                  I'm having so much fun
                  My lucky number's one
                  Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

                    Originally posted by George 1978 View Post
                    I have always been awake at midnight on New Year's Eve for as long as I remember - I have always thought to myself, why would I be asleep at that time even if I would usually be so? It is something that one wouldn't miss out on.
                    True... I would never go to bed without seeing in the new year plus i usually get to have sex with the missus, then and on my birthday.
                    Ejector seat?...your jokin!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

                      Originally posted by tex View Post
                      True... I would never go to bed without seeing in the new year plus i usually get to have sex with the missus, then and on my birthday.
                      No wonder we have a lot of births at the start of October.
                      I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
                      There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
                      I'm having so much fun
                      My lucky number's one
                      Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

                        Ha ha Tex, what with that AND the pork pie you must be up all night

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                        • #13
                          Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

                          Originally posted by George 1978 View Post
                          No wonder we have a lot of births at the start of October.
                          I remember someone saying that September has the highest birth rate due to the cold nights in December!
                          The Trickster On The Roof

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                          • #14
                            Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

                            Originally posted by Jemima View Post
                            Ha ha Tex, what with that AND the pork pie you must be up all night
                            Stamina my dear Jemima, stamina
                            Ejector seat?...your jokin!

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                            • #15
                              Re: 'Magica'l New Years Eves when you were growing up...

                              Originally posted by Richard1978 View Post
                              I remember someone saying that September has the highest birth rate due to the cold nights in December!
                              There is such a high rate of September and October births in my own family - and pen pals that I have had also seem to have their birthdays around that time of year as well.
                              I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
                              There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
                              I'm having so much fun
                              My lucky number's one
                              Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

                              Comment

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