New Year's Eve - Overrated or worth the hype?

Does anyone else feel that New Year celebrations have become so overrated? When it gets to New Year’s Eve, there is such a build up and more excitement in the run up than the actual “moment” itself. NYE spirit gets killed the second you have to be herded back to the tube station like cattle, after only ten minutes of fireworks in the sky. Sometimes I feel I wouldn’t be too out of place, if I started “mooing” on my journey back to the station. Yes, you could always attend a NYE party but again, these are overrated and establishments often charge you an arm and a leg (plus all your organs) for the entry fee alone for a sub-standard evening.

For this reason, I either try to attend a house party or go abroad during this period. Last year, my husband and I travelled to Singapore which was amazing, especially celebrating the New Year in 27 degree heat but this year we decided to stay in London. To make it a bit more jazzy, we chose to stay at a hotel in Central London and picked the ME Hotel for it’s reputation and proximity/ views of the firework from our hotel room’s terrace. Bouji I know!

The ME Hotel is located in Covent Garden, on the Strand (opposite the Lion King theatre - The Lyceum). It is a 5* modern hotel establishment which houses the famous Radio Rooftop bar and the STK restaurant downstairs. As soon as you enter the hotel, you are immediately greeted by plenty of glittery interiors and lots of young impressionable girls, in various questionable poses, selling their bodies and souls to the Insta devil.

Though the rooms are quite small, we had a priceless view of London, which meant we could watch the fireworks from our terrace. London can be a place of such chaos, but I have to admit, it has one of the prettiest skylines with so many iconic buildings. From our terrace, we could see The Shard, Somerset House, Southbank, the London Eye and more. If only, this could be our view everyday! For a gerzillion pounds, I’m sure it could be!

During our four day stay, we mainly ate at nice restaurants (as we are such foodies!), did some shopping, as well as relaxing too. I am certain, I gained an extra stone during this period, but life is too short to worry too much about how many calories you consume. Unfortunately I’m not much of a celery muncher. People who are overly obsessed with healthy food, also really get my knickers in a twist. If you want to be a “health conscious-zero calories-sugar free only-tree hugging-only vegan restaurants in January-no meat eating-only blend my food as I can’t appear to chew-spend more time at the gym than I do with my loved ones-coriander is seen more as a meal than garnish” type person, good for you but don’t come into my aura. We will never be friends.

Anyway back to New Year’s, I always feel butterflies in my stomach when they do the count down. Is that just me? In that moment, it feels like time slows down and in that one moment, no matter where you are in the UK, who you are (race, gender, sexuality, political view, etc), we are all united and forget everything else. It’s that one moment where we come together to count down from “10, 9, 8…” and wish each other “Happy New Year!!!” whether we know each other or not. If you are spending it with loved ones, it’s the moment you clink your glasses together or share a kiss/ hug with a loved one. The moment where you reflect on life and suddenly realise, you’re in the new year and start to wonder whether you’re happy, where you want to be in life or what you want to achieve in the upcoming year.

That one moment in time really makes me feel mixed emotions, and I do really feel grateful for all the past opportunities, the roof over my head, loved ones in my life and having the luxury to see these priceless views of London. The only thing I missed this year was hearing Auld Lang Syne which is often the obligatory song to play isn’t it? Auld Lang Syne, somehow always manages to bring a lump to my throat - yes I am a soppy sod. That always makes me feel “New Years-y” in the same way, Christmas songs sung by Michael Buble make me feel “Christmassy”.

New Year always seems to come hand in hand with responsibilities, and the infamous NY’s resolutions. Are you able to stick to any of yours? I tend to break most of mine therefore I try to lower the bar for myself, and not set myself impossible tasks. It’s not easy to achieve the body of Gisele in just one year! I don’t want to change who I am, I just want to better myself… always. This year’s NY’s resolutions are to stick to my NY’s resolutions - as simple as that! It’s also mainly to believe in myself more, stop doubting, stop self-body shaming, be less judgemental of others (we all do it), and to be a better person even with small, random acts of kindness. Not because we want something in return, just because we all should be kinder to one another. Preaching over!

It’s a bit late, but Happy New year everyone! I hope 2019 brings lots of laughter, new memories and good health! xo

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All pictures on this post are my own