It’s that time of year again and we’re ready to party. Aren’t we? asks blogger Andrew Owen
Well, according to new figures, most of us are not. And our old friend the credit crunch is to blame.
Apparently, some 42 per cent of people say they are planning to stay in with friends and family on New Year’s Eve.
And more than 80 per cent of those staying in said they had more important things to spend their money on.
It’s a good point. We don’t go mad every Sunday night as we wait for the new week to start, and we don’t reach for the Champers at midnight at the end of every month. (Well, I suppose some of you might. Perhaps I’m the odd one out.)
Meanwhile, more than half of those who do plan to go out say they plan to keep things local. And cheap.
So it’s goodby to the expensive parties, massive meals and live entertainment, and hello to a couple of pints down the pub with - possibly - a song on the juke box and, if we’re going to be flash, a pound or two in the quiz machine.
And those who don’t like going to the pub say they plan to attend a free new year event.
So, how will you be spending the last moments of 2008? Will you be going out, or will you be having a quiet night in instead? Tell us what you’re doing by clicking our online poll below.
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16 Comments
I intend to revel in a stuporus alcoholic fug of my own fabrication at a friends house. No vote option for this??
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Well between the greedy brewers, government tax, and grabbing publicans the price of a night out has gone beyond the reach of average people. So most will shun pubs and expensive parties and stay at home.
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Will be forced to stay and lookafter my horses who will be scared sensless when the UK erupts with fireworks. Just why do these townies feel they have the right to disturb the status quo and smash my green houses with their rockets. I also get brassed off as the cases that are now non-biodegradeable plastic which shatter into sharp pieces and could injure grazing livestock.
Yet these people blissfully do this every year whilst condeming that young lad, who was fined for dropping a crisp packet this year, as some sort of blight on society.
If this is how people get their kicks, book into a hotel in Gaza and let some rockets off there!
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I suspect that about 42% of all British citizens always stay in during New Year’s Eve. The only difference this year is that 42% is purported by the press to be purely as a result of the “credit crunch”.
Not sure about greedy brewers and grabbing publicans, but this year, we’re off down the local to get totally relaxed via the imbibing of various good value brews and distillations. BTW, the event at our local pub is ticketed, and I can’t click two options…
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Staying in is the new going out apparently - it’s called ‘intertainment’!
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I put going to a FREE event ,and i see its only 6% well that about right nothings free in the uk.
yea i don’t live in uk no more as you may notice with aus. but to make you feel better it raining heavy here and i working tomorrow so not much to drink. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL 10 HOURS LATER.
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either an early night or down the pub, i can no longer rely on bbc to provide decent entertainment. we used to have a genuine hogmany programme, the white heather club with scottish pipes and drums, country dancing etc. why do the bbc push so much pap at us, hootennany etc
on the subject of fireworks, unless they are restrictrd to 5/11, they should be banned
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As one of my pastimes is playing in a band - I will celebrating New Year as always - playing at the new years gig !..
And you know what … It’s really Great - we hardly drink anything in terms of alcohol - and once everyone’s up and dancing - we just keep playing -and ….seeing eveyone enjoying themselves to “our” music is all I need for new years entertainment !
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Lucy W,
Do you really imagine that it is only ‘townies’ who release fireworks on New Year’s Eve? And if you are not a ‘townie’ just how far are these fireworks travelling in order that they might land in your rural idyll? What are they - scud missiles?!
Next time, let your horses comment - they’d make more sense…
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Night in with some friends for a meal and the odd drink (hic) but much to Lucys relief no fireworks although I do love em! think I will go to Germany next if the £ recovers a bit against the euro! next New Year had a great time therea couple of years ago!
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Peter: These townies have built houses on land that my family sold them! We should have inserted a firework ban covenant if we had forseen this.
I’ve been collecting shards of plastic this morning as best I can - would have liked to go off walking, but no doubt these neighbours would have reported me to The RSPCA if one was taken ill while I was abscent.
They celebrate with pyro-technic devices who by product is shards of toxic plastic showering down on me.
I celebrate with alcohol whose by product is urine.
Need I say more?
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No one forced you to have horses Lucy so no sympathy from me I’m afraid. Lots of people choose to celebrate NYE with fireworks, not just ‘townies’ as you put it and frankly, some of your comments regarding the (alleged) damage fireworks cause are patently ridiculous. As far as I’m concerned, if a few fireworks disrupt your otherwise ’super’ life in the country once a year, well that’s tough, sorry!
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I agree with Lucy!
Ban fireworks, has the green lobby not got an angle to ban them, global warming etc. Or Health and safety lobby!!
Maybe a new firework tax!!!
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Ah Lucy W, So your family sold rural land for a profit to “townies” for them to build houses on ? And your complaining now becasue ??
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had a great new year in with home brew
no fights, no taxis, only close friends
the best option by a mile
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Greeting. Never despair; but if you do, work on in despair.
I am from Republic and also now’m speaking English, give please true I wrote the following sentence: “Start off by estimating how many calories you burn each day using the daily calorie needs.”
Thanks :-D. Enola.
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