Is New Year's Day Just a 2nd Valentine's Day

[JetSettingAro]

I know we have folks from all over the world on here, but when the ball drops in NYC and everyone kisses each other and couples dance around, it kind of feels like a second Valentine's Day to me. I mean, honestly, what is there for an aromantic person to do on this holiday? Especially in the USA. It's possible to do stuff with friends, sure, but most of them are doing things with their significant others...so...what do you all do?

[Kwl427]

That’s a really interesting point of view! I had never thought about it like that before, but you make a good point, it does seem like a holiday that is focused on romantic stuff . A lot of my friends/family are spending New Years with their significant others. I personally got a New Years kiss from my dog ?

[Autumn]

I'm actually almost never around people who are part of a couple? At home anyways, so I often forget about the whole kissing tradition. I never thought of it as Holiday with specific traditions, just a sort of free for all celebration. Of course it's also my bro's bday so it's always just been a family event for me. But I can def see how it could be hard if the people you know are all going off with their partners. It feels like romantics try to make every holiday about being with their partner, so maybe it isn't surprising they do that to to New Years as well.

[eatingcroutons]

My experience of NYE is the complete opposite. It's an excuse for people to go out, party, get drunk and get laid. (Finding a stranger to kiss when midnight hits is a good first step to the "getting laid" part!) 

[bananaslug]

Oh, I totally get this! like even a lot of alloro people dislike new years when they have no one to kiss, I never understood why there wasn't a more inclusive tradition. 

 

This year I convinced all my friends to do fistbumps at midnight instead of kisses and tbh, it was much better. I did have one friend who went around giving everyone cheek smooches, but they know I'm touch averse so they bopped me on the cheek with the end of a party blower instead. We also did a lot of group dancing and partner switching so that everyone was included in dancing if they wanted to be.  So like, I think you can do a less romance oriented New years, but it takes some effort and you have to get all your friends onboard first. 

[Holmbo]

In Sweden it's not really a thing to kiss at midnight. We toast champagne and take groupies ?
At least me and my friends do. I can't speak for everyone I suppose.

[Cee Fox]

I was with a group of friends on NYE and we brought in the new year on the beach. I thought it was the best part of the night because I really enjoyed the fireworks. My friends were all majorly disappointed they didn't have anyone to kiss. One of my girl friends turned to me just before midnight and said 'alright if I try to kiss anyone in our group let me, except for x, y and z'. ?.

[sunny]

this year was the first year i was painfully aware of myself. all of my friends had partners and s/o's they kissed. i was the only one just sort of wading in it. not to mention the entire night they were all over each other. which again, if fine you know? it's them showing their affection for one another. i always feel so guilty about feeling weird around PDA. it's been a sort of recent development that has been kicking my ass. PDA always bothered me but not it just makes me wanna shut down completely. if we're playing games like... lets just play games man. let's just do what friends do best and not be crawling over one another.

 

so yeah, i get what you mean. but it can be really fun. we normally just play board games at my house.

[Mark]

On 1/1/2019 at 3:19 PM, eatingcroutons said:

My experience of NYE is the complete opposite. It's an excuse for people to go out, party, get drunk and get laid. (Finding a stranger to kiss when midnight hits is a good first step to the "getting laid" part!) 

That's a lot closer to Saturnalia (or Kronia) than it being some kind of romantic couple thing.
Kissing under the mistletoe has similar origins. But again seems to have been appropriated as a romantic thing in recent years,

The origin of Valentines day is Lupercalia. Whilst this might include (kinky) sex is not remotely romantic.

[Cee Fox]

On 1/6/2019 at 3:30 PM, sunny said:

so yeah, i get what you mean. but it can be really fun. we normally just play board games at my house.

1

 

I brought in so many new years playing Monopoly. Why is this a thing?

[Apathetic Echidna]

On 1/6/2019 at 3:13 AM, Holmbo said:

it's not really a thing to kiss at midnight. We toast champagne

Yup. So much champagne.

Generally New Years is spent with family or friends, or both. If I am with friends or the wilder members of my family we play drinking games as we watch the Sydney fireworks on TV (we only ever stay to see the early 'family' fireworks wherever we are because it is too hard getting home in the rush after midnight ~plus the drinking games are fun)

 

 

[NotHeartless]

I used to celebrate with my parents and their friends. There was food, firworks on TV and a lot of good conversation.
Currently I always celebrate with my roommate which is cool. 2 years ago I was asked by an acquaintance if I'd like to go to a NYE party with him.
I didn't know about the kissing on NYE but I can kinda imagine it can be depressing when everyone is coupled but you.
Then again, I probably wouldn't really care. I'm indifferent when it comes to couples. As long as no one is trying to kiss me, I'm fine. 
 

[GreyAroFire]

I think it depends on the area. In New York here it’s quite interesting how unbalanced it is favoring allos. But yeah, I think it’s a good point you made that they both seem similar with different intentions.