New Year's Eve - what's it like for you?

[A Cousin]

Ours are quiet. We don't brave the roads. My husband calls it "Amateur Night." We let the kids stay up until they (we) can't take it anymore and crack a bottle of champagne at midnight. After the hub-bub of the holiday season its nice to do it quietly.

I have "done" loud and exciting New Years Eves. I did Times Square NYC in 1990-91 because, well, I felt I had to do it once when you live here. It was just before the Persian Gulf War air-strikes began and there were a lot of servicemen on their way over-seas who told us what was coming. Sure enough, a few weeks later....

And then we went to Amsterdam in 1998-99 of which I remember very little. Just joking. I remember it all, esp. the fireworks. Soooooo many fireworks! I love fireworks and would have set off a few of my own but even I thought it was completely crazy! We high-tailed it back to our B&B past the bon-fires and (stupidly) kept our window open until a bottle rocket nearly entered through it.

That was the only time I have been in Europe for NYE. Do all the cities do fireworks like that on NYE?

Happy New Year to those on the other side of the International Date Line!