New Year’s Eve 2021 / New Year’s Day 2022

New Year’s Eve went well! I was successful in avoiding last year’s issue of discovering I was doing all the work while everyone else had a nice relaxed time. It meant I had to keep delegating/instructing, because no one leapt in to help unasked, so it was better than it could have been but not as good as it could be.

For dinner we had homemade bread (a dear friend gave us a jar of the ingredients plus a recipe for Christmas, and Paul baked it), with homemade jam (a dear friend gave us a jar for Christmas) and homemade apple butter (Paul’s sister gave us a jar for Christmas), which made me think this could be a fun friend-group Christmas gift idea: each person buy one thing that would work well for New Year’s Eve dinner a week later. We also had: cheese and crackers; grapes and blueberries and watermelon (the grapes are tradition, the blueberries and watermelon passed the “What looks good in the produce section today?” test); spinach dip as another option to go with the homemade bread (I like this jarred kind); potato chips and French onion dip (Paul re-learned that he doesn’t like the jarred kind and needs to make the kind where you mix the powder with the sour cream; he made a mental note for next year, but I’ll make a written note here). I had the kids help me put everything out on the table, and we ate while watching one of the Christmas movies we didn’t get around to watching this year.

Then I had the kids help clear everything away, and we had a little break before starting the second stage, which is Party Snacks and Staying Up Late. I had Paul make the first round of oven snacks, because he is the one who MOST loves mozzarella sticks. While he did that, I had the kids bring out the other snacks: Pringles, Doritos, M&Ms, chocolate-covered pretzels, several kinds of odd popcorn (Oreos, Butterfinger, Snickers) found at the grocery store, fudge-covered mint Oreos, fudge-covered Nutter Butters, savory pretzel twists, peanut-butter-filled pretzels. It seemed to me that the kids did not Absolutely Demolish these snacks the way they have in previous years; it could be that they’re getting older and less thrilled by such snacks; or maybe they have not yet learned, as I have, to go light on the first course in order to save room for the second.

I made pizza rolls next, and never got around to making the egg rolls: I asked everyone, and no one felt strongly about having them, and I didn’t feel strongly about having them, so we skipped them; I’ll make them as part of dinner another night. Paul went to bed, and the kids were sort of lounging lethargically as if no one could think of anything to do and maybe everyone was feeling like New Year’s Eve was not as fun as it used to be; so I thought about what I would like to do, and then asked if everyone would like to watch one of the Christmas movies I’d meant to watch on my own this year but hadn’t gotten around to (The Holiday, with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz), and everyone said yes, and we did that, and it was fun.

By the time the movie was over, it was time for the last half hour of the countdown on TV. I’ve thought of the Dick Clark New Year’s Rockin’ Eve as The Standard, but the last few years it’s been disappointing and odd (it feels to me as if Ryan Seacrest wanted this job very badly and then discovered he doesn’t like it but now he feels stuck with it; and his co-hosts are often yelly and unfunny and trying very hard to be Fun!! and Cool!!), so next year I think we’ll try something else, or we’ll at least channel-flip to see what else is available.

 

My resolution last year was to buy more fun clothing. I was thinking along the lines of all the fun t-shirts available in the kids department, with a picture of a llama or a big flower or whatever, and how I wished those were available for adults as well. Through a combination of Christmas, birthday, and gin-inspired impulse ordering, I succeeded admirably in this task. It is unfortunate that most of these ended up being from Amazon, since I am trying to decrease Amazon purchases; but Amazon is the place where I can find these shirts and have them fit me, as opposed to having size choices of “unisex” (i.e., men’s fit, which does not look nice on me) or else “women’s” (i.e., babydoll/juniors fit, order two to three sizes up and STILL too tight and too short) as on many other fun t-shirt sites. For size comparison, I order a XL Tall in t-shirts from Old Navy, and I order a 2XL in the Amazon t-shirts (I can also wear the XL, but it’s more fitted than I want for wearing to work). Some of the acquisitions:

 

(image from OldNavy.com)

Thermal long-sleeved shirts (sold as pajama shirts) to wear under t-shirts, for cute patterned arms. (Link to individual shirts; link to two-packs.) These are getting pretty thoroughly sold out in most patterns/sizes, so I will try to remind us all of this idea next year when they are freshly in stock again.

 

(image from Amazon.com)

Flamingo t-shirt.

 

(image from Amazon.com)

Tulip t-shirt.

 

(image from Amazon.com)

Red rose t-shirt.

 

(image from Amazon.com)

Butterfly t-shirt.

 

(image from Amazon.com)

Daisy t-shirt.

 

(image from Amazon.com)

Retro Robin Hood t-shirt.

 

(image from Amazon.com)

Scandinavian birds t-shirt. (This one is a different brand than the other shirts. I ordered an XL, I think based on reading reviews, and that was the right fit.)

 

(image from RocketDog.com)


Rocket Dog shoes in Daisy and Rainbow.

 

 

My resolutions for 2022:

• Continue to buy fun clothes. That was a good idea and led to a lot of happy clothing.

• This one is hard to express, but I have noticed a LOT of areas where I have accidentally gotten in the habit of deferring to Paul’s way of doing things, even when it negatively affects me AND there is no reason for it except that it’s what he prefers—while HE does not make the same adjustments/deferrals toward me, and instead lives his life centering his own preferences and not feeling weird about that. Just for one single example: he prefers to go to bed about an hour before I do, AND he prefers us to go to bed at the same time. And for some reason, this has resulted in me following BOTH his preferences, and so I lie awake night after night listening to him snore until I can finally fall asleep. But…he does not lie in bed awake listening to ME snore when he wakes up EARLIER than I do, so that we can get OUT of bed at the same time! Nor does he seem to feel any inclination/obligation to stay up until the time I would like to go to bed. So why don’t I go to bed when I would like to go to bed, instead of when HE would prefer me to go to bed? It is a mystery, and one I intend to work on noticing and adjusting in the coming year, in many many areas of life.

• Re-write recipe cards, especially for important recipes. I noticed at Thanksgiving that one reason I had trouble turning over some of the work to others is that there are a lot of things I Just Know about the recipes, but have not actually written on the actual cards. (I’ve done the small, easy-to-write corrections; this is more about the complicated or extensive kind of corrections, or the lengthier descriptions of HOW to do a particular step I Just Know how to do.) The cards need to be re-written—not only so other people can help, but also so the recipes won’t be wrong/mystifying when I’m no longer around to make them. I don’t know if I can make myself do this, but putting it as a resolution may help.

34 thoughts on “New Year’s Eve 2021 / New Year’s Day 2022

  1. Tessie

    I don’t consider myself a particularly sentimental person, or someone who keeps a lot of family heirlooms, but I do have two handwritten recipe cards (one in my grandmother’s handwriting, and one in HER mother’s handwriting—they are both gone now), and I treasure those so much that I had them framed for my kitchen. So that’s another potential reason for the recipe cards!

    I LOVE onion dip, and agree with Paul that the jarred version barely qualifies. We like the recipe that comes on the Lipton onion soup mix box (or used to), if you’re looking for a candidate for next year.

    Happy New Year!!!

    Reply
  2. Lisa

    Swistle,
    Thank you for sharing your insights. You are reaching conclusions and revelations at just about the same time or earlier than I. Mostly about husband/child thoughts like the Christmas / New Years, I am doing WAY too much work and everyone else is enjoying and not realizing all the work needing to be done. But also just raising 5 children into adulthood. Being a partner to a spouse and deferring to their preferences. Thank you for sharing so much of your thoughts that I can think “YES!!” to. It’s nice to feel like someone understands and also like you are trying to better it for yourself and I can try too.

    Reply
  3. Alaina

    I found this website when late night feeding my new baby and Instagram scrolling: https://piccolinakids.com/collections/adult-trailblazer-tees. I bought him RBG and Amelia Earhart jammies then couldn’t resist getting a matching Amelia t-shirt for myself and the suffragist t-shirt as well. This feels like it’s right up swistles alley for fun shirts since it spreads the feminist agenda. I will say that since getting the shirts that they aren’t cut as well for women as I would want (not enough hip flare but that could also be my postpartum body) but still love the shirts and will be wearing them to work after maternity leave.

    Reply
    1. Jd

      I love Piccolina. Their shirts are great quality. I will also add they have two different womens shirt cuts. I don’t remember which is which but it tells you on the website.

      Reply
  4. jeanne

    LOVE your comment about rewriting recipe cards….do you do it hand writing or on the computer? Most of mine are typed out, and yes, I don’t always go into ALL the details, especially when it’s something I make often.

    However, my grand daughter asked me if I had any of my Mother’s or grandmother’s special family recipes in their hand writing….I think perhaps I do, haven’t yet checked. BUT now I want to do a few of mine for grand kids in my writing so they’ll have that as a heritage.

    Also plan to compile some recipes into a family type cookbook as well and have it bound as a gift for next Christmas.

    Reply
    1. Bridget

      For Christmas one year I typed up all the family Christmas cookie recipes, put them in plastic sleeves, and stuck them in a binder. Then I gave them to my mom *before* Christmas. We now keep the original recipe cards in the back of the plastic sleeve. Its a nice merger of nostalgia and readability

      Reply
      1. Anna

        Bridget, I love this!

        I also LOVE writing out recipes- step by step so it’s totally clear, even if I’m the one making it. Think about the cookbooks that you find easiest to use and copy their style. Some start with all the ingredients, some mention them as they are needed. Some bullet point each step, some write it out in a paragraph. It takes some thought but it’s worth it.

        Reply
  5. Suzanne

    I love your resolutions. The t-shirts you bought are excellent – I am wondering if I need the Robin Hood and/or three birds one for myself. Hmmm.

    Reply
  6. Gwen

    I’m Paul in your bedtime scenario and for years stayed up way too late to go to bed with my spouse. I ended up just staring at the ceiling because I was overtired. Finally I just started going to bed earlier, and I really like it. I love having time alone in the bed to decompress, read, and do whatever I want. I was really resistant to separate bedtimes, but it’s grown on me. I like it.

    Reply
  7. MomQueenBee

    My parent always went bed at the same time even though my mother would have liked to stay up later. I thought this was The Way Things Were Done, but when I got married I realized that was not necessarily the case. Husband is a night owl and I am a lark so we set our bedtimes accordingly and are happy being in the same bed during the overlap. Also, last one up makes the bed.

    Reply
  8. Gigi

    Sounds like a successful New Year’s Eve.

    Back when we were first married, we would go to bed at the same time BUT – he learned how to sleep with my bedside light on because I wanted to read before bed. Now, he seems to stay up later (because he falls asleep on the couch early in the evening) and I go to bed without him…and I actually like it because if he comes to bed before I fall asleep and I have to try to sleep with his snoring I have a strong urge to smother him.

    Reply
  9. Cara

    I have been finding happy t-shirts for myself and as gifts on an Etsy shop named privatecraft. I found it for feminist/social activist shirts but branched out in to shirts that fit our hobbies, etc.

    Reply
  10. Erin

    I’m glad to hear your thoughts on the Dick Clark Mew Year’s Situation. We haven’t watched it in many years due to having small children and not wanting to stay up late. But this year was finally the year to stay up again. And when we tuned in I could barely manage the 5 minutes until the ball drop. We found one with Anderson Cooper but whoever the guy was with him seemed pretty drunk so that was weird lol. And Miley Cyrus/Pete Davidson looked kind of like drug addicts so I had a hard time relating to that vibe.

    Reply
      1. Maggie

        When I read your comment I briefly thought WAIT! There’s a cat-hosted countdown! I’m watching it next year! Sadly I see it was just a typo, because I’d watch the heck out of that.

        Reply
  11. R

    I gave my daughter a Terry’s chocolate orange, and she whacked it on the table when the ball dropped. Very satisfying way to toast the new year with kids.

    Best part: it was the first time I found the pop rock version of the chocolate orange, and I saved it for New Year’s (pop rocks felt like they fit the fun party vibe), and it turned out we all loved it. I hope I can find them again next year.

    Reply
  12. Ashley

    Totally agree with your take on Ryan Seacrest. That is dead on. I think all the New Year’s Eve countdown programs are pretty terrible these days but have the highest tolerance for Anderson Cooper getting drunk on CNN.
    I encourage you to try the separate bedtimes. My husband likes to go to bed a couple of hours before I’m ready to sleep. He’d prefer for me to go to bed when he does, but I made it clear years ago that that isn’t going to happen. Our rhythms are just different. Sometimes I head to the bedroom when he does and we hang out for a bit but then when he is ready to fall asleep I leave and go back to the living room for another hour or two of reading or watching the shows I like that he has no interest in, or writing, or whatever. It’s one of the only times of day when I can squeeze in some alone time.

    Reply
  13. Lindsay

    Great new year resolutions. I’m struggling to come up with any other than not working at my paying job on weekends. Plus the usual boring ones.

    I will keep mulling it over.

    Reply
  14. StephLove

    I’m glad your NYE went well. I’ve never really been a fan. We just bought the kids a bunch of snacks and went to bed at our normal time while they stayed up.

    Speaking of going to bed, is that your main time for conversation? It is for us and when we go to bed at different times for a stretch, usually because she’s working late, I end up feeling like we’re drifting apart. If and only if this is true for you, I wonder if sitting on the edge of the bed for a little while after he’s in bed and talking would be a good compromise.

    Reply
  15. Liz

    Not only do I not go to bed at the same time as my husband, we sleep in separate rooms. He snores VERY loudly, and I sleep with three blankets and a fan.

    I love the fun shirts you bought.

    Reply
    1. Kalendi

      So glad to hear that someone else does this. I have sleep apnea, so I either snore very loudly, or my machine bothers him. He likes to stay up late and gets up early and I go to bed and read and sleep longer. Works well for us, even though it took a while to adjust.

      Reply
    2. Shawna

      Was coming to the comments section to confess the same thing. My husband is a light sleeper, and he can’t easily get back to sleep once something wakes him. For my part, I’m a pretty light sleeper but I can fall back to sleep very easily. So when the dog needs out in the middle of the night (which she almost always does), I pretty much have to be the one who gets up to let her out.

      Add to this the fact that he snores and likes a different cover arrangement than me, and sleeps with blackout curtains and a fan on (neither of which I can stand), and goes to bed and rises MUCH earlier than me when he’s working the next day, well, sleeping together was pretty much doomed. The only time we sleep in the same bed really is when we have guests over (because I don’t want them to think we’re weird and we need the extra bed for them to sleep in), or when we’re on vacation and there’s no other room to escape to. Since our second kid was born I’ve slept with one or both kids, on one of the two couches on the main floor, and in the spare bedroom. I’m a sleep nomad in our house. The only constant is that since getting our dog five years ago I’ve slept within arm’s reach of her because she starts yipping in her sleep often and it’s best to just reach out and stroke her before she wakes me up all the way.

      Anecdotally I’ve found that a VERY high percentage of couples sleep apart, but it’s almost always a dirty little secret.

      Reply
      1. Kalendi

        Oh yes, the dirty little secret. I don’t admit to anyone that we sleep in separate rooms, because it seems like that isn’t something that should be done. We share a bed in hotels or when we have guests. But other than that no

        Reply
    3. HKS

      My parents have had separate bedrooms for so long that I don’t think anything of it. I don’t think they’d still be married if they had to share a room and they’re now past their 50th anniversary!

      Reply
      1. Natalie

        Similar with my parents – they shared a room when I was a kid, but I’ve been out of the house 25+ years so I don’t know how long their current separate room arrangement has been going on, but I suspect quite a while.

        Reply
  16. Natalie

    I have pretty extreme “revenge bedtime procrastination” whereby I put the kids to bed every night and am determined to have “me” time no matter how tired I am. I have lately started doing EVERYTHING before I put them to bed, take my meds, clean as much of the kitchen as I intend to, take the dog out, etc. so that the moment they are in bed, I’m ready to relax. My husband, meanwhile, has been sitting on the couch during all this, and sometimes wants to go straight to bed and always says he sleeps better when I’m with him. NO. I have not done all this work just to go to *sleep*. The other night I started re-watching the Mandalorian and he claimed he was going to go to bed, but got sucked and then started eating popcorn which makes me want to murder him.

    Reply
  17. Kara

    We watched Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen’s New Year’s Eve. It was tame and boring.

    I made a buffalo chicken dip, a taco dip, chips, and all that. It was pretty easy. The kids and their neighborhood friends were in and out of the house all night long. No one cried. No one fought. It was a nice night.

    Reply
  18. Kalendi

    We read and ate chips and salsa and actually managed to stay up until midnight (barely). It was a very relaxing time. Didn’t watch anyone or any ball drop, just looked at our atomic clock, and listened to a few firecrackers. Loved it!

    Reply

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