4 Great Things About Being Home Alone On New Year’s Eve

New Year's Eve brings up images of fireworks, parties, and kisses at midnight. It's a night where we reflect on the past year and toast in the new year to come. We spend it with family, friends, and a lot of times, crowds of strangers. But what if I were to tell you that one of the best ways to ring in 2024 is by being home alone on New Year's Eve.

I get it. Being home alone on New Year's Eve feels pretty depressing for a lot of people. We're programmed to believe that if you're not out partying, you're not living. Well, that's just not true. As someone who has spent many a year by themself on December 31st, I can tell you, the benefits definitely outweigh the negative.

Winding down the holiday season can be tough. We've been go, go, go, for the past few months. Why not start the new year by slowing it down and taking it easy. The week between Christmas and the new year is my favorite. Personally, I'm not trying to do anything, and I'm ok with that.

The word selfish gets a bad rap. And in many cases, it's justified. But selfish is defined as, "concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others." Merriam-Webster definition. Sorry, not sorry, but sometimes that's just what we need. To be concerned about ourselves. To concentrate on us. Most of us spend so much time concerned about others, that we forget about what we want. So if you find yourself alone this NYE, be selfish and do what YOU want to do.

Why not get out that brand new wall calendar you got for Christmas, or open your phone to your calendar, and put some things in it. I believe it is so important to have things to look forward to. Even just the act of planning a vacation gets you feeling excited and hopeful. See what events are coming up in the new year that you can go to. Mark it down and plan to go. Or maybe even just make a list of restaurants you want to try and make an early reservation. You can even plan out "time for self" days. Just don't cancel on yourself.

This is probably my favorite. Most of the time when we go to parties, we're at the mercy of the host. Or if you're at a friend's house, same thing. And that's ok too. But sometimes we just want to eat what WE want to eat. A slice of cheesecake, Flaming Hot Cheetos, a whole pound of shrimp cocktail, pizza with toppings that no one else likes. Whatever it it, it's your time to shine. Treat yourself to what YOU want, and enjoy it.

I know that being alone on NYE isn't for everyone, and some can't because of kids and other family situations. But if you're someone who has no plans and is feeling down about being alone, try to look on the bright side and enjoy it. You may not have the chance to slow down again for the rest of the new year.

Where IS the best city for singles? If you're single, names like e Harmony, dating.com and others are your new friend.  You can't watch a TV show that appeals to ANY age, without seeing a reference to dating apps.

Do they work? They sure do. People have started lasting relationships, that started, ON-LINE. With busier than ever work schedules, hitting the bar scene is not so easy. Add to that, people that have kids, but are looking for a new person, find dating apps more convenient than, match-making friends.

Of course, not everyone has success with dating apps. Dates that start on an app can end in disaster. In other words, dating in 2023, is not easy. While you maybe be looking for love in all the right places, your day to day living finds you at times, alone. Hey, that's not all bad. Sometimes we ALL need time with ourselves.

Boston to me is the best city for just about everything. But is it the BEST city to be single?

Wallethub is back with an interesting report on finding the best AND WORST city to be single:

With nearly 47% of all U.S. adults being unmarried and only 42% of single adults interested in a relationship or casual dating right now, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its Financial Secrets Survey, alongside its report on 2024’s Best & Worst Cities for Singles, to help people maximize their chances of finding love without breaking the bank. 

As we see the list of the BEST and WORST cities for being single, get ready! You may be surprised to see what cities made the top five, and where our local cities rank.

To help America’s singles find love, WalletHub compared more than 182 U.S. cities across 35 key indicators of dating-friendliness. The data set ranges from the share of the population that is single to the number of online dating opportunities to the average price for a two-person meal.

Where does Boston rank?

First kiss fireworks may happen in Seattle. But as far as costs, Seattle is not the cheapest, as it ranks #174 in "economics." BUT it ranks top FIVE in FUN, and #3 in "dating opportunities." Congrats Seattle! You are #1!

The Sin City is ranked #1 for FUN AND RECREATION. Are we surprised? For dating opportunities, Vegas ranks #45.

Overall, Las Vegas is #2. Will you have Elvis marry you?

Denver boasts a #6 rank for dating opportunities! But be warned, the altitude can affect those with respiratory challenges. Bring your inhaler on your first date, and don't go skiing.

The Peach state boasts Atlanta as top 10 for FUN. If you research it, Atlanta has a lot to offer if you're single and looking for your future partner, or a current one.

What, Boston is NUMBER 59? Well we rank #47 in dating opportunities, #18 in FUN, and #181 for "economics." Yes, we know, it's very expensive to have fun here, never mind dating. How many $300 dinners can we afford, as we are trying out dating?

Maybe we'll do better when Wallethub does a survey called, "Best City to Be Married." But don't lose hope, my son who lives in the Seaport, met his girlfriend on a dating app here and they are doing quite well, going on two years!