Where will you be tonight at midnight?
At a party? Home in bed, fast asleep (or not)? In the middle of Times Square in New York City, waiting for the ball to drop? Or in front of your television set, waiting for the same thing?
Imagine that you’re out in the street with revelers, waiting for midnight, only it’s not a ball that’s going to drop. It’s a giant sardine, glowing from within! If so, you’re in Eastport, Maine, a lot less crowded, probably a lot colder too, but we extend the same warm wishes to one and all, around the globe:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
(And if you’d like to know what’s dropping around the United States to mark the appearance of 2012 besides a giant ball, here’s a fascinating excerpt from NPR’s terrific daily blog, The Writer’s Almanac :
“Other cities have developed their own ball-dropping traditions. Atlanta, Georgia, drops a giant peach. Eastport, Maine, drops a sardine. Ocean City, Maryland, drops a beach ball, and Mobile, Alabama, drops a 600-pound electric Moon Pie. In Tempe, Arizona, a giant tortilla chip descends into a massive bowl of salsa. Brasstown, North Carolina, drops a Plexiglas pyramid containing a live possum; and Key West, Florida, drops an enormous ruby slipper with a drag queen inside it.”
Subscribing yourself to The Writer’s Almanac would make a fine New Year’s Resolution!)
Touch2Touch 
and the same to you both!
For the Berkshires, I think a drum roll ending with a cymbal clap will do well to start the New Year!
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We’ll start it — or lead up to it — by watching the New York Philharmonic live, performing works by Bernstein and Gershwin —
Close enough?
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I love the thought of that giant sardine descending at midnight! I’ll be at home having a lovely dinner with friends/neighbours while our children party next door – we’ll join them at midnight for some fireworks … a good evening I think. I wish you a happy evening and all kinds of good things for you and your family in 2012. Thank you for an always-interesting blog; looking forward to many more posts!
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Thanks, Karen!
I reciprocate about your blog; our traveling in person is curtailed, so I especially enjoy wonderful glimpses of the wider world through your eyes and camera!
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Happy new year to you. I look forward to reading more of your posts in the coming months. Love hearing about the ball dropping traditions around the globe.
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I reciprocate — looking forward to your blog in 2012!
Ruth, you would most likely love The Writer’s Almanac — it e-mails all kinds of good stuff daily, mostly about writers but not exclusively so (as you see!).
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Happy New Year! We don’t do anything half as exciting in the UK! Tonight I’m home: fire roaring and champagne chilling: toasting & looking forward to all that 2012 has to offer!
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Fire roaring —
champagne chilling —
Sounds wonderful!
Enjoy, and much happiness in 2012!
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I’ve bought a new clay bell and will ring it outside to sound out a welcome to 2012.
May it be a year of blessings more bountiful than any of us even imagined.
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What a charming idea, Joss! In my imaginings I will imagine the sound of your bell.
All good things in the new year to you and yours —
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Happy 2012! The very best of years to you …
We’re just going to hang around here … watching TV. Used to watch CNN but I can’t stand Kathy Griffin. I’ve just sent some text messages to friends and family back home — it struck midnight just a few minutes ago there.
I’ve been to Eastport! So cool to hear about a place where I’ve actually been! Would love to see the sardine.
Don’t know that they drop anything at all here …
Signed: *cluelessinsaintjohn*
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Dear Clueless,
You’ve actually been in Eastport! I’m impressed — I’d also love to see the sardine.
As I have the grandmother of all colds, we’re gonna sit out New Year’s with baby back ribs and mashed potatoes and Collin Street Famous Fruit Cake for dessert (yes, we actually LOVE this particular fruit cake). Tomorrow morning at 9 am we Skype with Japan — Do you Skype with Sweden? It’s more alliterative —
Daytimes are okay, but with this &$%#$ cold it’s really hard to sleep, so I’ll wish you guys (including guy cat) a Happy 2012,
SleeplessinNorthampton
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Pingback: Happy New Year 2012 « jdc-witherton
Kansas City’s Power & Light District party will have a New Year’s Eve ball drop at Midnight. Union Station’s New Year’s Eve party will have indoor fireworks at midnight.
Hope you’re feeling better soon. Wishing you much luck, health and happiness in 2012!
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Indoor fireworks? Whoa! Everything’s up to date in Kansas City!!!
(Couldn’t resist 😉
We have — dense fog and black ice alert for Western and Central MA — staying in the house with a cold doesn’t sound so bad! We watched the NY Philharmonic doing Gershwin and Bernstein tonight, which was really nice, and made KC style (I think) baby back ribs.
So — Happy New Year, Theresa, whichever party you go to, and whatever you’re dining on!
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Happy New Year to you Judith – and to all the visitors here who contribute to the discussions… I learned a lot.
And I love the sardine!
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Here’s to more blog discussions in 2012! They are a great source of nourishment for me and I thank everyone who, like you, comes and joins in.
And maybe to sardines for lunch??????
😉
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Happy New Year!
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Thanks, Christine!
See you in the blogosphere —
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I love the Writer’s Almanac! Happy new year!
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Anybody who’s reading this comment and doesn’t already know Pierre’s photos of Venice, the known and the unknown —
You have a big treat in store! Just click on the link here for Venice Daily Photo —-
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“Subscribing yourself to The Writer’s Almanac would make a fine New Year’s Resolution!” I just did – THANK YOU for the suggestion and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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So glad that works for you, Jen. I think you’ll enjoy it!
And Happy New Year to YOU!!!
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Wonderful post. Happy New Year. I was at a masquerade ball with friends…..fun, fun, fun!
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What costume did you wear? Were you by any chance a sardine? Why do I not think so? 😉
Thanks so much for visiting, and for following.
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Tempe and Key West sound like FUN places to live! 🙂
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If I could teletransport I would have picked Key West!
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