My birthday has always been my favourite holiday because I love attention and feeling particularly special. It’s a day where almost anything I say goes, and that’s pretty awesome. I am in the group of people who usually cry on my birthday for one reason or another, but I’ve always loved it all the same.
My second favourite holiday (or my actual favourite if you don’t count a birthday as a holiday the same way Groundhog Day or Christmas is) is New Year's Eve. The person responsible for my adoration of the holiday was my mother. My mum was always enthusiastic, and loved getting into the spirit of things. If it was a Blue Jays game, a dance floor, or really anything, but especially a holiday, she was super into it. Of all the holidays, Mum had two favourites: Canada Day and New Year’s Eve. These were holidays that we always spent together, usually in Collingwood. We would spend Canada Day doing everything the Blue Mountains area had to offer: pancake breakfasts, blowing bubbles with street performers, and of course, watching the annual rubber duck race.
The plans for New Year’s were always more special though. Instead of doing what the town offered, we would be doing the entertaining, and the town would come to us. From a young age, my parents (or really my mum with my dad as her assistant) would throw an elaborate New Year’s party for all of our family friends every year. These parties would adhere to a theme of my mum’s creation. Our first party was based on the children’s book The Wonderful Pigs of Jillian Jiggs, and like in the book, we all made adorable stuffed pigs out of buttons and stockings.
I’m not sure what we did at the first party versus what became part of the tradition later, but I think the next step was usually to have pizza for dinner, and then an ice cream sundae buffet. After, it would be nearing midnight (actually 9:30 because we were all like five, but my parents changed all the clocks so we wouldn’t know), and we’d put on all our snow gear and head outside. We would make snowballs and start counting down. We threw them in the air at the count of ten, and they’d fall into the new year. Then all the kids would run across the street and cover the rock facing our chalet in snow.
Slideshow of NYEs throughout the years
As we grew older, the parties would start to actually go until midnight, and we’d need to have a more general theme so more activities could fill the time. We had a murder mystery theme, Hollywood theme, Hawaii theme, medieval theme, bubble gum making theme, game show theme, and probably some others that I’m forgetting. I would look forward to these parties throughout the whole year, and though I know it was a lot of work for my parents, I think we all agreed it was super worth it.
As time went on, the kids usually attending these parties began to do their own things with their own friends. We realized that most of our attendees had outgrown our party, so we continued to put them on, but just for us. They weren’t heavily themed anymore, but our family shares a love of trivia, so they usually consisted of a homemade Jeopardy game, a Name That Tune, and maybe some “Celebrity.” We’d still do the ice cream buffet (a tradition that good cannot be forgotten), and the snowball throwing tradition has been included in some capacity whether we’re at home or not (yes, it happened in Antarctica). I can’t say our new parties were as exciting as our old ones, but that might just be nostalgia talking. Either way, I loved New Year’s Eve, and always thought of it as a time to spend time with loved ones.
Slideshow of more recent NYEs
Snowball throwing Dec 31, 2020
I think it’s because we don’t celebrate Christmas, and Chanukah’s too long to feel exciting and special, that New Year’s has evolved into this wholesome family holiday. Getting drunk on NYE is weird to me, even though I know for most people, that’s the whole point. I guess the whole clubbing thing has never been for me, no matter the occasion, so the way we’ve celebrated New Year’s has always been ideal.
In early November, Mum sent a long text to the family group chat detailing New Year’s Eve 2024/5. We’re bringing back themes, and we’re doing Rock ‘n Roll. She listed almost ten activities for us to participate in and even planned our meal (it’s not pizza this year). This was such a Bailey thing to do. She planned everything so far in advance, and was always prepared. She loved a theme, and I knew she was going to get so into it, causing the rest of us to do the same. I was so excited to see Mum in her element, and was sure it was going to be a lot of fun for everyone.
As you probably know, Mum died three weeks ago. This holiday that was always one of the happiest days of the year feels a lot heavier today. I have to keep snapping myself out of the mindset that nothing matters without Mum. I know that she would want this party to go on, and for me to enjoy it. We’re doing the usual Jeopardy, Name That Tune, and whatnot (all tailored to the Rock ‘n Roll theme), but I think it might feel a little bit more melancholic than it usually should. In honour of Mum though, we’re forcing ourselves to make the best of it and still have a good time.
I still feel her ‘spirit’ here. I know she’ll be in my heart throughout today and everyday after, but it still sucks. I pretend she’s looking down at us, enjoying watching our lives and partaking in the fun wherever she is, but I don’t actually believe it. Still, it’s better to be in denial than not feel her with me at all, so though it feels nearly impossible, I’m going to try to make it through. I’m so lucky to have the New Year’s memories I have with her, and I’ll try to remember that as I keep pushing to make it through today.
