The play, Fiddler on the Roof, has a song about tradition. It offers an explanation for the stupid things that we do as a society, country or family for no apparent reason. To toast the exit of the old year and celebrate the entrance of a New Year is an excuse to drink and have a party. Why do we do this? Tradition.
New Year's Eve is amateur night. It turns loose all the heavy drinkers of the world and gives them reason to get "blotto" one more time. I suspect that you would be safer standing in the middle of the capital of Iraq without a weapon than driving America's highways on New Years.
Tradition! We never thought of establishing a tradition at New Years. It requires repetition and something unique. We always had good food. Boiled shrimp, boiled lobster tails and steak. Sometimes we opened a bottle of Champagne or fine wine. Any one in the family that wanted to join us was always welcome.
We would try to have the New Years dinner later in the evening thinking that the closer we held festivities to the midnight hour, the better the celebration. Problem was that everyone was hungry at 7:00 PM. So slowly the dinner hour moved closer to the normal dinner hour.
There are several New Years eve celebrations that I remember distinctly. One was shortly after Grasshopper No. 1 had moved out of the house. To say that she was "broke" would be to put it mildly. We lived on North 6th street in Sheboygan. Your mom and I had just started preparing boiled shrimp with all the smells. It had to be done with with Durkee's Shrimp Spice which came in small cardboard containers of loosely held herbs and spices. The spices were poured into boiling water and the house carried the aroma. There was a meek knock at the back door and in walks Grasshopper No. 1. I think her line was "Watcha doing?". She knew exactly what we were doing and of course we invited her to join the festivities. Maybe that defines tradition. Something that everybody does over and over and is predictable. Actually it was nice she joined us.
A second New years Eve included Shea and Grasshopper No. 5. Grasshopper No. 5 had invited Shea to join us and they giggled through the whole evening. No. 5 had learned to mix a 50-50 combination of Hoffman House Shrimp spice and ketchup. I had introduced that because most kids got turned off by full concentration of spicy dip. And they ate and giggled. They giggled and ate. A good time was had by all. I've always wondered whether it was necessary to have the shrimp. I think the two girls would have giggled anyway.
I have noticed my own kids doing similar things on New Years Eve. They buy their own shrimp and lobster. My guess is that their children will pick up on the celebration. Guess what! Maybe we have started something. Could it be a tradition?
I have to admit that I did celebrate some very, very good years. I also ushered out some years that sucked. Thankfully there were more good years than bad. Regardless, the New Year meal takes place. It is done with people you love. It is prepared with good food. It is predictable.
Tradition! Tradition! La-de dum, la-de dum, la-de da de da de dum!!
Happy New Year to one an all.
Love,
Dad