For most people New Year’s Eve is the big night. In our family, December 31st has always been pretty tame. We generally just have some snacks and maybe fondue, pop a bottle of champagne for the adults and sparkling cider for the kids, stay up to midnight to watch the ball drop, all yell “Happy New Year” and hug each other, then go to bed.
Our New Year’s Day tradition began during the great Napa flood of 1997. Art & I were sleeping in, enjoying a day with nothing to do when Michelle called.
“We’re all at Bruce’s Mom’s helping her empty her basement in case the flood gets too close. We’re hungry and we’re coming to your house in an hour. Don’t worry, we’ll bring the food with us.”
I scrambled to get everyone up and dressed and straighten up the house. About 11 am, six people showed up with eggs, bacon, champagne and orange juice. Art and I made some biscuits and gravy and we all had a New Year’s breakfast feast. Afterwards we pulled some card games out of the closet and sat around talking and playing games until it got dark.
Every year since then we have continued the tradition – every other year at our house – and it is a tradition we all look forward to. Everyone brings something to share and often people show up in their pajamas. Over the years friends have married and divorced and had children, plus we have added new friends along the way.
Yesterday was the 15th anniversary of our annual New Year’s breakfast and seeing everyone together again made me remember all we have to be thankful for. I am very excited about the possibilities of the new year and I want to thank you all again for being part of the journey!

That sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for stopping by!
http://kidsaregrown.blogspot.com/
happy new year to you as well!
That sounds great and a lovely way to spend NYD with friends x
Wow! It’s been that long? I hope that we have many many more NYD’s together!
What a great tradition! We do something similar on SuperBowl Sunday, except there’s a lot of yelling and screaming. 🙂 It’s one of my very favorite days of the year and I really look forward to it!
That is the same for me. We do not do anything real big. Have more food than normal and watch the NY Times Square celebrations on TV
Happy New Year!
you are lucky to have those people in your life!