When I was younger, I fell victim to the pressure to go out and have fun on New Year’s Eve.

I hated it.

I loved the idea of dressing up and going to a really fun party but it always seemed like the pressure to Have A Good Time made people edgy and there would be fuss and tension.

And/or it would mostly be a perfectly ordinary party with a tinge of disappointment because it wasn’t special enough.

So instead of enjoying an evening out, I always just felt kind of let down.

Eventually, I caught on and started having smaller get-togethers with just a few friends and good snacks. Just a regular get-together but with an extended timeline.

And these past few years, it has just been a quiet evening at home with my husband and sometimes with my sons.

Tonight, we’re all home and I expect I’ll be asleep before 12.

Sounds like the perfect way to end the year and start the new one.

Just say no to mandatory fun.