It’s safe to say that my new year’s evenings have changed quite dramatically over the last few years. There have been some BIG nights in the past. Nights of much celebration, probably too much alcohol, dawn homecomings and huge frivolity. I can safely say last night was not one of them.
We went to friends early in the evening, there were more children than adults – we ate good food, walked to a good vantage point to watch the 9pm fireworks and I behaved like the biggest nanna on earth when I saw 14 year old KIDS drinking on the streets. It took every bit of restraint not to lecture them. If only I had their parent’s numbers….
I think my outrage aged me. It certainly tired me so much that at 10pm I was ready to leave. That’s me – the party animal.
As midnight chimed I was lying in bed with my son sleeping at my side (he had tried so hard to wake up and watch the fireworks on TV) , my husband was lying on the other side of him and my dog was lying on my feet. I couldn’t think of a better way to see the new year in. In fact if all the days of 2012 are spent with the people I love around me – I’ll be a happy woman.
Meanwhile in Melbourne New Year’s Eve ended rather more dramatically for some. New.com reports
Melbourne’s Arts Centre spire has caught fire in a dramatic conclusion to the city’s New Year’s Eve fir
eworks display.
The fire appeared to be caused by a firework that failed to discharge properly during the spectacular show, which was witnessed by more than half a million people.
The area around the Arts Centre was evacuated immediately following the end of the of the fireworks.
If you missed the fireworks in Sydney and you want to watch them – we have them right here
And if you want to see what was happening around the world, well we have that too – we’ll be updating it during the day as the rest of the world catches up to us 
The stunning Sydney Harbour bridge
How was your night last night? What did you do?
And Happy New Year to every single one of you.
Comments
93 Comments so far
Started off the night trying get to a friends house party in Kirribilli right in front of the harbour but had 3 bottles of vodka so had to dodge cops all along the north shore. Ended up taking my heels off so I could walk through grass and bushes then climbed under a bridge along the freeway! When we finally made it (alcohol intact) the view was amazing.
Along came 12.00 and boyfriend took my into the multi car carpark and we hid behind some cars while having sex with the view of the fireworks over the harbour in front of us. This then went on for an hour in different places……
It was quite an energetic night….
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My boyfriend and I spent the night with his brother and SIL. We went up to QLD to visit them for new years. We watched the fireworks at 9pm down at the lakeside, then went home. We both had a couple of drinks while watching Van Helsing then watched the Sydney fireworks. His brother and SIL said goodnight and went to bed!
We just sat there for about 10 more minutes before going to bed ourselves…
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Partner and I spent the evening with 2 thirteen year olds and a bubby, plus random kids that adopted us ( we were at a family camp) doing mime. Lol, mime and spelling bees! Hilarious night and probably one of my best.
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Mine felt like a bit of cross between a P Diddy/J Lo video and a Pam and Tommy home movie! My man and I skipped all the parties and borrowed a friend’s luxurious boat for the night, where we had champagne, crayfish and a whole lot of fun…though I’m embarrassed to admit I fell asleep in a happy heap at aout 11pm!
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Dinner at mums, home by 10:30, put kids to bed, in bed myself by 11:00pm listened to radio until midnight watched the neighbours let off fireworks through bedroom window. Not very exciting but spent with loved ones.
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i brought in the new year sober, single and make up free. I went for a run on new years day. I’m really excited about being fit and healthy in 2012.
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We spend our news year eve the same way each year, with another 3 couples and their great kids. Weather in Adelaide was perfect for an ‘aussie beach party’ – a swim, hit a few golf balls, great prawns, a bbq with fab salads, topped off by a game of celebrity head, great wine & 3 brave ones jumped in the pool at 12 midnight as we watched the fireworks at Glenelg…..may 2012 bring everyone all they wish for…
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We had one of the best new years ever. Our friends staged a dinner party for fifty in a salt lake on their WA wheatbelt farm. Absolutely stunning! Live music, fine food on a dark and starry night with natures light show in the distance. A great crowd of old and new friends celebrated together and a salutory reminder that no matter the challenges and uncertainty of farming, there are some things we get to do that others simply don’t have the opportunity. Yesterday watched the Adele concert dvd from Royal Albert Hall which my husband and I were fortunate enough to attend in London in September. I quietly wept with joy and gratitude as I watched and reminisced while husand selpt on sofa and kelpie nearby on the floor. Happy New Year everybody and drive safely. Rose x.
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Spent it in new York- standing beside the Brooklyn bridge watching the manhattan skyline with some very newly made
German friends
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In las Vegas….crazy on the strip arrived at dinner at a funky Vegas resteraunt at about 8pm with friends and their kids only to have our 11 year old tell us he felt sick and then proceeded to start to vomit violently ….poor bugger anyway spent new years in Vegas watching the fireworks from my room with my eleven year old vomiting in a bucket and our six year old starting the same symptoms of gastro at one am
Aaahh the irony
We could only laugh and toast in the new year together certainly one we will never forget but not for the reasons we thought
Happy new year everyone ! May it be all that you wish for
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Spent NYE on the banks of the Thames River and it was bloody amazing!!! Sydney might be home but Lndon stole my heart last night, I have never been so close to fireworks in my life and they were AMAZING!!! Then we went to a plush cafe in west London at 2:00am and drank wine and filled up on deserts YUMMMO! an amazing NYE, no fancy frock, no hang over and bucket loads of memories and fun!!
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I’ll start by telling you that I’m TERRIFIED of frogs and then perhaps you’ll understand better why my NYE was not what I expected! We went to a friends’ place for a BBQ and had a wonderful time – the food was great, the company was awesome and the kids were all well behaved and having fun.
But it all got a bit hairy when the kids grabbed torches and spent an hour and half collecting frogs from the garden! The frog container had about 50 frogs in it and the boys got great pleasure from trying to show the adults how clever they were with the frogs – man, I totally freaked but tried not to show it. My girls thought it was hilarious because they know how much frogs scare me.
But seriously, an awesome night. 2011 was all about new friends for me and sharing NYE with them was great – 2012 is going to be a cracker!
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NYE spent at home with like minded (brother/sister-in-law with small kids, brother-in-law priest) who get up early for same or similar reasons. we had a lovely dinner, some drinks, kids enjoyed themselves in the backyard until late. guest left shortly after midnight and me and hubby had a glass of bubbly on the balcony to wind down. this morning still sooo tired from lack of sleep, but happy about the beautiful evening we had, which we kinda continued this afternoon by gathering again all together at the beach. life’s good.
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We stayed home. Kids went to bed about 9pm, hubby & I enjoyed a couple of drinks & a beautiful curry. He crashed on the couch about 11 & I grabbed the opportunity to watch a chick flick I’ve been wanting to see for ages! In bed by about 1230. Only thing missing was a bit of nooky, we desperately need to break our kid-exhausted drought & reclaim some intimacy. Anyways….soon. He went for a run this morning and I hung with the kids. I have to say I love waking on NYD and not being hungover, not feeling tired and not wondering why my evening was a letdown. I am really looking forward to 2012 – I have created space in my life to think about who I want to be and where I want to be, and so far I am relishing it.
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A quiet night at home with hubby and the two kids, put them to bed and we sat on our balcony and had a couple of glasses of bubbles, some nibbles until we started getting eaten by mozzies, then in bed by 11pm…..
Happy New Year all, hope its everything you wish it to be, I feel I want to start learning again this year so hopefully for me it will be about education and having real friends around (had to unfriend a couple of people last year) x
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Dinner at Melbourne’s docklands with friends and saw the fireworks. Had a lovely spot at a restaurant with an outdoor eating area. Shame was the service and waitress who had no idea. Manager took off our drinks from the bill because the waitress had NFI….felt sorry for the poor love working New Years Eve but we seriously went to the gelato bar and brought it back to our table because ‘i’m not sure if we do dessert on NYE’ WTH?
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We had a nice dinner with my in-laws (all stating at the beach house together) then pigged out on the chocolate cheesecake brownie I made. Had a glass of champers. Got the kids to bed by 9 & was asleep by 10:30. Then rudely awakened by loud fireworks at midnight plus the alarm clock going berko for some unknown reason. Sons woke at 6 this morning so I was a bit tired & grumpy. We had an awesome long swim at the beach this arvo though which totally made up for it all. I’m going back on my sugar-free diet as of today. Fingers crossed!
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Champagne, charades and bad dancing with great friends at an amazing beach house. Oh and I scored the worst black eye I’ve ever seen when I was drunkenly trying to find the bedroom door in the dark without waking my husband and toddler and then fell into a bedside table. I look awful on day one of 2012!!
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Gave birth to my second little girl last night, nice to know that she will always have fireworks in her birthday
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Congratulations Mandy what a wonderful start to the new year for you and your family. Enjoy those newborn cuddles.
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Drank way too much!! Paid for it today…….
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Actually did not get one drink at all last night as DH decided that last night would be the night to showcase his painting skills to me.
Painting the ceiling was a disaster, as he loaded the roller too much and paint dripped everywhere. I took over, and of course the insects liked the look of our paint and got stuck in it.
Painting postponed until today and I did it myself and I have a lot to do. We also moved furniture and that was also fun (not).
The best part of my day today was jumping in the pool with the kids and kissing them to death.
Can’t wait to get my house in order – then I will be cracking the champers!
Happy New Year everyone – I have a lot of things I want to achieve this year and it seems like the time is now!
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spent the day and night at home with my 9 week old baby. Hubby was working and it was 40 degrees so didn’t want to take him to the BBQ we’d planned on attending. Was a bit depressing to start ‘cos it was my birthday too, but in the end me and my little angel had our own party! I over indulged on junk food and he got drunk on milk, lol. In bed by 11pm
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Met friends and we wrote letters to the future past and preset and burned it at the 9 pm fireworks on a cliff in bronte . All safely done of course . We then went to a trashy pub and there was a silent disco where you put wireless headphones on and listened to the dj . We then went back to bronte and saw some young men dancing on their car near the cliff and playing music . We danced as well on the cliff with sparklers , no drinking and we were asleep by 1 am .
It was my first nye since my breakup so it was really hard and sad too .
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I just had my first NYE sine my break up too.
It is super shit that when you’re so wanting to look to the future there’s part of you stuck in the past.
Spent my night at a house party with friends I don’t usually have much to do with – It was fantastic. Was completely distracted and had a great night.
But for some reason when I woke up this morning my loneliness came completely crashing down around me. Sigh. Have to take the good with the bad I suppose.
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I wore the kids out in the afternoon by making them run races and do starjumps etc in the backyard. Then we went out for a simple quick dinner as a family. Put the kids to bed on our return. The husband and I sat on the lounge and had a peaceful evening, watching True Blood (s3) as we massaged each others hands and feet.
We went to bed just before midnight and listened to the fireworks bring in the new year, then we started the new year with a bang of our own.
It was a lovely night.
Here’s to a brilliant 2012 for all.
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I was almost going to have NYE on my own, which I haven’t done in 3 years. I’m not the greatest fan of New Years Eve and I do prefer to be at home than partying. Alas I decided to go to my little sister’s party at her place with her friends whom I know well these days and my other younger sister. I didn’t drink heavily but stayed up past 2am and it was a really good night filled with sitting in a kiddy pool, playing drinking games (including musical chairs, which is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen) and hailing in the new year with much drunken jollyness and hugging all round. I felt happy and hopeful when midnight chimed in and my little sisters were in good spirits too, one of them who has just been through a break up and having a hard time decided she was going to do medicine and become a Doctor and never speak to her loser ex ever again, and the other who got married in 2011 told me she was going to start trying for a baby this year which makes me super happy. Aunty is my most favourite role! And then when I drove home this morning, I saw a monk in full monk get up on the side of the road under a tree with his arms over his chest and eyes closed. Apparently he is there everyday, but that seemed like a good sign for 2012. Later this arvo I am catching up with some friends out for the Sunday sesh, but I am going to push the boundaries and drink lemonade and be home by 9pm in my bed I think! I am glad I have started 2012 smiling – I didn’t last year and didn’t have a great year so I’m ready for bigger and better things!
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Went out to the country to a big party with band and drank WAY too much. Now not only have I wasted the first day of 2012 feeling crap it was such a nice day to waste! So over drinking. Here’s to being fit, healthy and mainly sober in 2012!
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Amen!
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Was more than happy to do some work on the house and hang with the boy until I found out all my friends were meeting up at their neutral bay apartment WITH MY EX BOYFRIEND! really wtf? Felt disappointed and shunned. Even though I had a lovely night spending time with the best person I know, an invite would have been nice- spesh after I’d already asked about their plans!
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Maybe 2012 is the year for some friendship pruning Kate… real friends should treat you like that : -) Glad you had a good night anyway.
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What did I do last night? Got quite inebriated and tried sex with a girl for the first time. It was.. an experience. I was more intrigued by how everything worked than anything….. Think I’ll stick with men!
But yes, very interesting night. Ha!
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Is that you Rick? lol
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Lmao
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At risk of breaking the cultural stereotype, I went to a party with a bunch of 15 and 16 year olds and we DIDN’T drink alcohol. Don’t see the point of having a great night if you’re too pissed to remember it.
Instead we had a party at my friend’s house; we swam in the pool, lit sparklers in the backyard, watched Monty Python’s Life of Brian, had a couple of people jump in the pool at midnight, watched the TV fireworks until we got bored and then put “Rage” on and danced like idiots around the loungeroom. Then we all crashed on mattresses downstairs and talked and stuff, I think I fell asleep at 5am? So tired now, but it was so worth it!
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Sounds like my New Year’s Eves when I was around your age. Good times!
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Watched 830 metres of vertical fireworks at the Burj Khalifa Dubai.
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Me too….. amazing fireworks!! We had a house party in Old Town and strolled over to watch the fireworks, great night!
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My husband had to work half a day! We had to rush around getting presents for my son who’s birthday is today! He was tired so he HAD to sleep so he could see the 9 pm fire works for the KIDS! No one drank anything! It was a very quite night with three young boys with the baby sleeping, friends are all away or busty doing their own thing. But we loved it no hang over today, went to Macca’s for my son birthday breakfast ( his choice) what a great way to start a year!!
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I spent it being the only single person at a small gathering of couples.
I retreated to bed before midnight because i couldnt face the midnight kiss fest
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This sounds like my life for many, many years until I found my partner in my early 40s! It sucks and I feel your pain. I try so hard not to be lovey dovey around my single friends as I know how annoying it is!
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You found your partner in your 40s. I’m 34, so there’s hope for me yet!
Sometimes, I feel like I’m NEVER going to find someone.
As for the New Year’s Eve kiss, well, I haven’t had too many of those.
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Yesterday I was in such a state…exhausting myself and my long suffering partner with my indecision on what to do. There was a last minute decision to join friends on their adventure to a country camp out with lots of festivity and fun people which threw me into a whirl. Car half packed and realising I didn’t want to wake up in a stinking hot tent with a hangover and two little boys. Had a few other options as well and was all over the place at one point. Ended up going to a very low key get together with lots of kids. We had a ball, especially my seven year old son who was the only boy (not counting the two bubby boys) amongst five girls! Perfect evening…but still had a blinding hangover with belly pains and nausea at 4:30 am… so happy I wasn’t in that tent!!
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Dinner at a pub in Echuca then back to the campsite by the river. Toasted marshmallows in the campfire even though it was 30 degrees. Forced myself to stay awake till midnight, blew poppers kissed friends hubby & children. Went to bed then woke up this morning sweating in our sauna, sorry, tent. Now reading by the river listening to cockatoos and the occasional speedboat. Happy new year everyone!
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I spent new years watching tv alone in my bedroom. It. Was. AWESOME! I’m not a huge party animal and I generally find new years tedious and stressful. This year i decided to do what I wanted. I set myself up with episodes of west wing, svu and bones. Had a light dinner and was asleep before 12. Woke up feeling refreshed and happy.
Here’s to new beginnings!
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God i wish i did that!
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Good on you! Make your own rules!
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I spent it being a bridesmaid in a friends wedding in the 40 degree heat in Adelaide!! turned out to be a lovely yet long day but was certainly a different way to bring in the new year… especially with no hang over today as it was a dry wedding!
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We went out on our boat to watch the 9.30 fireworks, which was awesome as we were as close as the police would let us, then back to the marina for a bit of music, 1 glass of bubbly, then watched midnight fireworks and went home with son and we lay in bed and read books together. It was nice. Husband stayed on boat.
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Watched some real housewives of Beverly hills and was asleep before 11. Then up at 3:30am for the open shift at work!
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I always spend NYE by myself having a bit of quiet reflection time. I like to be really present as the clock ticks over into the new year, just focused on what I am looking forward to coming into my life and saying goodbye with gratitude to the things that have occurred over the past 12 months.
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NYE started out well; went out for dinner and watched some local fireworks which were really spectacular, then went back home for drinks and nibbles with friends. Then more drinks. Still more drinks. Then I became very ill and had to go to bed. No actual vomiting but waves of nausea and hot flushes. Ugh. Still feeling very unwell at 2 pm!
Wished I hadn’t drank so much, it’s out of character. Think I just did it because I was trying to block out all the unhappiness and yuck of last year. Now I just feel yuck!!
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Spent the night with hubby & best friend at a pub watching people 10 years younger than us behave like tools. When midnight came I put on my flats and walked back to the hotel where I spent the whole night wishing I was at home with my baby. One last hurrah was all I needed to realise how much I would rather have a quiet night at home with my 2 boys than surrounded by 2000 drunk strangers. Lol
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Im in vancouver and still living in 2011! Its 7pm and Im going to be going out to some random club downtown with my friend – a vancouver local- and some of her friends. Im not really a new years person or a party girl but Im looking forward to tonight!
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Good for you Lana. I have a 12 year old who came with the rest of us to a family BBQ and we watched the 9pm fireworks. Then it was home to bed. It scares the hell out of me that in 2 years time she will have friends who will be allowed to go out alone and be able to get drunk and carry on. Who knows what their parents were doing or thinking?? My guess is they had no idea. Which is even scarier!
Happy New Year.
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We took the kids to watch the 9pm fireworks from Mt Ainslie – first time they saw fireworks (in real life). My husband then carried two sleeping kids to bed when we got home. I watched the Sydney fireworks in bed and then when when my husband came in we made love and then again this morning (lovely stuff after a long sex drought between us)! Great way to start the new year I have to say!
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Last night I had FUN! Had a happy ‘Zoo’ year with some lovely friends, home to pop our exhausted 1yr old party girl into bed then it was Sparkling Shiraz with Hubby! BLISS
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Happy zoo year Ren. We were there also with some wonderful friends Inc some very cute 1yo party girls! Well done on the shiraz…I went tp bed pretty much straight away!!! Look forward to the next catchup with my lovely pals
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spent the evening at home with the husband. kids are at my parents place – 600kms away! bub #3 could arrive any day now, and am glad it didn’t decide last night was the night.
i’m in ‘nesting’ mode and have been for about a month now, so husband and i did a bit of cleaning and sorting, watched the fireworks at 9pm on tv, and then found the victoria’s secret fashion show on fox8 so we watched that. then watched the midnight fireworks and did stuff on the computer. in bed at 2am tho…not sure where the 2 hours between the fireworks and bedtime went!
we’re real party animals, that’s for sure
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I put the kids to bed, then sat on the couch reading books with the tv on in the background, occasionally getting up to hang out on twitter.
That’s a fairly typical NYE for me!
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We ducked out of a party to do just this! Sex and the City, then Barbra Streisand, interspersed with Rufus Wainright music while flicking through a fabulous book of fashion photos through the century. Had a wonderful time
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We had a very quiet one. Baby in bed, watched fireworks with five year old and spent the rest of the evening in bed as I have a head cold. 2011 was an awful year for us so we were pleased to see the end of it. We shed a tear for the best friend no longer with us and we hoped for a better year to come.
We’ve had some wild new years eves and some quiet ones. And last night, although feeling ill was a nice one as it was just our little family.
Happy new year all.
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I had a nice, relaxing NYE with my boyfriend, his parents and his grandparents. We were all too lazy to make plans so we sat in the backyard drinking champagne, eating cheese and listening to U2 for the lead up to the countdown…plenty of fireworks in the area to, great night. Sometimes the most simple plans are the best
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In bed @10. Baby woke for 3 feeds (unusually!) & toddler only woke once (also unusual). Husband worked mental health nightshift in ED so we texted our happy new years at different. times of the night
. Same evening as any other really. Shift work really is antisocial 
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