Staying Home On NYE??

In years past, the idea of staying home on New Year's Eve was preposterous. It meant you were missing out on the most fabulous happenings including pictures that would be passed around and posted everywhere, and you'd be disdainfully excluded from any and all nostalgic conversation regarding smooches at midnight. It was the worst thing that could happen to you.

Back in the day.

The last time I felt that way I was a junior in high school, had broken up with my boyfriend for the first time (he and I would make a habit of doing that down the road) and my girlfriends were everything to me. I was threatened with social expulsion when my mom grounded me for being 3 minutes late for curfew. Our family was in absolute turmoil at that point; my mom had just caught my dad having an affair and the divorce was in full swing. My two younger sisters were just 13 and 9; they didn't have much of a social life yet. But for me, being around people was my outlet and I thought I might crumble up and die without it.

To this day I remember how completely heartbroken I was at the thought of having to stay home. It was a horrible feeling, like being punched in the gut. My mom just didn't understand. As it turned out I survived, but only because my mom was too exhausted to care whether or not I went out by the time NYE actually rolled around.

Then I went through the stage of wanting to be seen by everyone once I turned 21. I simply had to be at a bar that year- this was during my phase of "Anything Could Happen!". I was enthralled with the feeling that came with the beginning of an evening. I was unattached to any one boy, and going to a new place meant new people and exciting new memories. There were endless possibilities: I could make eye contact with someone from across the room and flirt all night long, someone could ask me to dance and that might lead to my obsession of whatever song we danced to, I might strike up a conversation with someone to whom I wouldn't previously had the courage to utter a single word. I might meet the most interesting person who just happened to be at the same place at the same time and would indulge me with stories of their hometown, previous relationships and plans for the future. I might meet my future husband, or my next ex-boyfriend. Anything could happen.

Then I met Paul, and I didn't care where I was on NYE as long as I was with him. We were infatuated with life and each other and that made things incredibly simple. We've since been together nearly 5 years and tackled quite a bit during that time: My graduation from college, several trips around the country, one trip out of the country (China, but that's for another blog entry!), an engagement, a wedding, buying our first house, bringing home our first puppy, a one year anniversary and new jobs.

It's New Year's Eve afternoon, and I've done all I can to convince Paul that staying home together is the best option for us. Guess I've grown up, huh? We've been invited to several get-togethers and parties for tonight, some of which are a little appealing but out of our way and ultimately inconvenient and dangerous. The options we have on our side of town include a chic bar down the street or a get-together at one of my friends' house. Paul's idea of New Year's Eve does not involve staying home and curling up in front of the fire, but being social. The conversation between us has yet to be had. Who will win? Wife who wants to bring in the new year with our puppy between us snuggled warmly on the couch or Husband who wants to bring in the new year smooching in front of a camera while holding up a champagne glass for a party-wide toast?