New Year’s Eve…on our own timeline

No one in our family is particularly interested in saying goodbye to the old year and ringing in the new. But we have an awesome New Year tradition we didn’t want to give up this year, even though only three of us will be home for the actual holiday. So our party is happening this evening.

The Husband is a major history buff, and several Christmases ago one of the kids gave him a DVD of “Lawrence of Arabia” shortly after he’d read a biography of T.E. Lawrence. A four-hour-movie seemed like a good way to kill a long New Year’s evening, so we had our first annual viewing. A stunning combination of grand music, epic scenery, history, fiction, and a good helping of cheese, the film immediately became a favorite. There are a few lines we have to rewind and replay each year. Omar Sharif’s “Hah! Hah!” Peter O’Tool’s “Aquaba! Aquaba! From the land…” Priceless.

Part of the tradition is a trip to Whole Foods earlier on viewing day to buy an array of cheeses, crackers, breads, and sparkling cider. A batch of sausage balls completes the cholesterol overload, and we finish with whatever holiday desserts have survived.

Oldest Sister will be on her way to Baltimore by tomorrow evening, so this celebration together is doubly precious.

Happy New Year, all – a few days early!

Advertisement