A somewhat odd New Year's Eve
Jan. 1st, 2018 08:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lauradi7dwIt has been quite cold in most parts of Eastern North America, including the Boston area. We had made a day plan for the 31st (service ringing for me, juggling for Arthur, watch the procession, eat vegan Thai in Chinatown, watch the 7 PM fireworks, kill time, ring at midnight). It didn't mostly happen that way. I guess people were worried about childhood hypothermia, because the outdoor "Family" activities were cancelled. I was scornful, thinking that if anything kids would be layered while the viewers of the midnight fireworks might be affected by alcohol and silly shoes, but maybe they were right about children. As I waited for the 77 bus at the Harvard Station (somewhat but not entirely indoors) in the early afternoon, the two year old (ish) child cheerfully climbing a bench was given a jacket by the concerned parents. All hell broke loose. For reasons that were unclear to the rest of us, the jacket was anathema to the child, and eventually, the parents gave in, leaving fewer layers on the child than anyone else in the area was wearing. I have no idea what happened at the other end of the family's bus ride. Arthur decided to skip juggling, so we ate in East Lexington instead, and didn't go back downtown until a little before 11 PM, when we went to Copley to see the ice sculptures and light projections. At the time, there was recorded music, but the band still seemed to be planning to play, rather more bundled up than usual. I don't play drums or guitar, but would hope that it would be possible while wearing mittens. A few people were dancing, others milling about, but it was not very crowded, and as we were walking from there to the Church of the Advent, it was so deserted that Arthur found it eerie. I saw one or two kids with the usual horns, but nobody was blowing them. Too cold on the lips, I guess. The T was running as swiftly as promised, but not nearly full.
Fortunately the usual ringing around midnight seemed normal, but the party was a little unusual. Some of the ringers in their 20s are more publicly huggy than those of us who remember an older ringer solemnly walking around the circle shaking hands, so that was different. I had decided that (Christmas) crackers might be fun, and the set I bought came with a "stick the carrot on the snowman" game, which was played. (and things were consumed). No vomit on the Red Line car, safe trip home, to bed by 2:30 AM.
Fortunately the usual ringing around midnight seemed normal, but the party was a little unusual. Some of the ringers in their 20s are more publicly huggy than those of us who remember an older ringer solemnly walking around the circle shaking hands, so that was different. I had decided that (Christmas) crackers might be fun, and the set I bought came with a "stick the carrot on the snowman" game, which was played. (and things were consumed). No vomit on the Red Line car, safe trip home, to bed by 2:30 AM.
