The “True Year’s Eve” Tradition I’ve Been Begging Everyone to Do for Years
Like a modern-day non-musically-gifted little drummer boy, I have quietly been beating this one drum for many years: New Year’s Eve is missing something. Between the surging Uber prices, cover fees, and pressure to find an outfit with the golden ratio of sequins, I find that it’s still lacking some sparkle — much jazz hands, no substance. It’s somehow expensive, romantic, lonely, stressful, existential, fun, and freezing cold all at once.
So my pitch to the world, which I have been telling anyone who will listen forever, is that everyone should instead (or in addition) be celebrating True Year’s Eve.
Not familiar? Essentially, True Year’s Eve is the idea that before the clock strikes midnight on December 31, you should tell the truth about something. It can be something small, like texting your sibling, “You know that shirt you thought you lost … I have it in my closet :)” or something a little juicier, like letting your friend of a friend know you’ve had a crush on them for months.
If you’re celebrating the holiday with your fellow truthers, that’s great! You can all dish in person. If not, you should send off some text missives before midnight to let the people in your life know the facts about something from afar.
If you’ve watched Love Actually, you may remember the iconic scene where one character holds up a series of posterboards confessing his love to his best friend’s new wife, with one saying, “Just because it’s Christmas … (And at Christmas you tell the truth).” Let me be clear: True Year’s Eve is not a time to simultaneously throw a wrench in a friendship and marriage! The truths should not be dramatic night-ruiners, but rather small, giggly nuggets that you’d like to get off your chest.
Maybe you’ve fallen out of touch with a close friend recently, and want to send a message just letting them know they’ve been on your mind and you miss them. Maybe you want to let your friend know that when you said you had to cancel plans because you weren’t feeling well … you actually just wanted to stay home. Maybe you actually bought that thing you said you DIYed or you paid full price for that thing you said you got on sale.
The catch is that there are no judgements or repercussions. It’s a no-pressure chance to say your piece, and then take full advantage of that fresh-start feeling that settles into place the second the ball drops in Times Square and on televisions everywhere. As “Auld Lang Syne” starts playing, you can rest assured that your secret is safe with True Year’s Eve.
Sure, it may be a little risky, but that’s part of the fun — and you can play it as safe or sentimental as you’d like to. I can already hear the naysayers: Won’t people want to talk about the thing you texted them the next day? Maybe they will, but that’s just not how True Year’s Eve works … unless you want it to. You can refer them back to this article, which is your permission slip to not have a whole conversation about your 11:59 p.m. message.
The best part? If your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve is staying in and falling asleep on your couch well before midnight, you can partake in this new tradition from the comfort of your home — just send off your texts before you drift off.
So this is my pitch to you: This December 31, just send a few no-strings-attached texts and start anew the next day. Because everyone knows at New Year’s, you tell the truth.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
