With Christmas and Hanukkah behind us, we set our attention on New Year’s Eve as we usher in 2026.
Is it really 26 years ago when the world panicked when the clock struck midnight on Christmas Eve, 1999, when we didn’t know if the planet would cease to exist.
Clocks were supposed to stop, computers would die, and our country’s defense system would shut down, lost bank accounts, massive blackouts, and to top it off, since it was winter, heating failures were a deep concern. The bottom line consideration was, it was the end of modern civilization.
I wasn’t so skeptical as many. I had more faith and gave the geniuses the benefit of the doubt and all would be fine.
The truth of the matter was, for years prior to Y2K, billions of dollars were spent fixing code, and when Jan. 1 arrived, only minor glitches took place. It was the largest coordinated tech fixes in history.
Some can laugh about it now, but back then, it was a huge concern, and nobody knew how techies were madly working against the clock to get codes properly corrected.
Before 2000, the biggest thing to worry about was who you were going to watch on TV at midnight. Musical conductor Guy Lombardo was a family favorite before Dick Clark started to rock in the New Year.
Christmas was quiet this year, and my daughter Ashley’s boyfriend was ill, so they could not take part in the Christmas Eve festivities as well as Christmas Day.
The word is, the flu or flu-like symptoms are pretty prevalent, so take care. Getting together in a large group could bring on illness.
That’s what happened to my daughter’s boyfriend. He attended a funeral days before Christmas, and I’m sure that’s where he caught a germ or two.
My daughter started to feel ill as well, and the bad weather we had didn’t make them feel too badly about not being able to get out to visit or shop.
Prior to Christmas, the Greater Pittston Santa Squad had one final assignment before calling it a year. They provided toys for the preschoolers at the Greater Pittston YMCA on Tuesday. It’s one of my favorite assignments.
All the children were dressed alike, and some of the caretakers/instructors were also dressed alike.
Each class was escorted into the gymnasium, where Santa, his number one elf, Curtis, and the Grinch were waiting for them. Much to my surprise, the Grinch was extremely well-received, and just as many children flocked to him as they did Santa.
Curtis the Elf was busy entertaining the children while Santa prepared to receive the children.
Wrapped presents lined the floor on both sides of Santa’s chair, and Curtis would call up each child to get their present and get a chance to sit on Santa’s lap. Only less than a handful wanted to participate, and several children were absent from preschool that day.
Vanessa Girman was, once again, asked to bake her special chocolate chip cookies that even one reporter/photographer had to have one.
Along with the cookies was a container of milk to wash them down.
The expression on their faces was priceless, and the magic in the air was at a fever pitch.
Two things came to mind as I covered the event. The first was how exciting Christmas must be for the children’s parents, and the second was how I wish I could turn back time to one of those parents or go back further, trade places with the tots.
I give my parents credit for making Christmas special for my older brother, younger sister, and myself.
The house was always decorated to perfection with every little decoration in its place. For that matter, I don’t know how my mom did it, but she decorated the house exactly as she did the Christmas before. Today, I need to take a cell photo of how everything is laid out to give me a guide for next year.
She was amazing, and both Mom and Dad are always sorely missed, especially at Christmas and New Year’s.
So much prep work for her as she baked up a storm making Italian cookies and cakes. Many of those years she worked a full-time job and still got everything done.
As we turn our attention to New Year’s Eve, I recall mom and dad headed out to an event or a house party, as we were old enough to go to friend’s houses or stay home.
When they stayed home, Mom brought out the pots and pans before midnight, and she would send Dad out the door, and when the clock struck 12, Mom would open the front door and back door and bang pots and pans with a wooden spoon all while Dad was outside.
I honestly can’t remember the tradition, and I’m guessing both doors open would send the bad vibes out of the house. I can’t tell you why Dad had to be outside.
If anyone knows what the superstition is, let me know, but it was funny to watch.
Good riddance to 2025 and hello to 2026.
Happy New Year to all, and have a great birthday tomorrow, my daughter, Tiffany.
Quote of the week
“What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” – Vern McLellan
Thought of the week
“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘it will be happier.’” – Alfred Lord Tennyson
Bumper sticker
“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” – Oprah Winfrey
