Holiday Season

Random thoughts in the morning, after I woke up.

How do YOU spend Christmas and the New Year? Party the night away? Hang out with friends, have fun, do crazy things that you normally wouldn't even consider doing? (Last year, during New Year, we crashed the party of the folks upstairs of our hotel room. Hey they dared us!)

Maybe I'm getting old, but I'm starting to consider why it is that we actually do the things that we do. Do we join in the crazy revelry because we humans, are social animals? We want to belong to something bigger han ourselves, and during times like these, we again affirm that we are not alone in the world, and there usually is someone sillier than ourselves. Maybe.

The one peeve I usually have is that after the party is over, the clean up is a ton of work. What kinda clean up? Well walk along Orchard Road, or Boat Quay the morning after, and you'll see what I mean. Not only that, one night of excess drinks and too little sleep usually have us crashing for the next couple of days. That, more than any other reason is probably why the next couple of days are holidays.

But maybe I'm getting old, but since 4 or 5 years back, I have made it a point to make Christmas a time that one spends with loved ones. No, no sudden surge of Christmas conscience, but rather, an instant of reflection, ironically in the middle of a club along Mohammad Sultan, after going carolling. I suddenly found it pointless, to spend the season of love and remembering and honouring those people we find closest to us, in a club surrounded by strangers. I can't find meaning or fun after that. Man, I remember even after a good jug of whiskey dry, I suddenly got sober, and sat with my uni friend in the corner of the club, watching and wrapped in our thoughts.

And this morning waking up out of bed, I wonder if it makes sense to spend the whole of New Year's eve getting sloshed and partying. Oh believe me, I believe that partying has its part in the whole celebrations thing, and I firmly believe that probably before the sun comes up, one has got to move one's bon bon to at least ONE trashy song.

But before that? I think this year I'll try something different. I think I'll still take the hotel room. I'll still get the booze out, and perhaps a couple of cigars. But the afternoon, and the evening before the revelry goes, I think I'll take some time and reflect everything that has happened over the last year. I need to remember all the good things and bad things that happened, the lessons I learnt, or didn't learn and essentially mark and honour those memories. I will take some time to feel thankful for all the people that have come and gone in that last year, and I'll take some time to reflect.

And since it is the threshold of the new year, I will also take some time to consider my own future year. One more potential year of ups and downs, of growth, and perhaps, just perhaps start to germinate a plan of what I want to do in the coming year. It is time on earth that is given, and I reckon it's only right that I take a little time to try to use it well.

I want to spend that time with a few people with similar ideals of the evening, and over some drinks, somewhere, overlooking the water, and just let the thoughts ebb and flow for the day and perhaps the better part of the evening.

The partying will come after.

Oh, and the ass we'll kick I think is gonna be much better, and much crazier, simply because we have taken time to find closure to the year, and celebrate the coming of the new one with a little less baggage.

So, New Year eve reflection anyone? Bring a writing pad, a pen and a bottle of booze.