Many many years ago, I made a New Years resolution. It was that I wasn't going to make any more New Years resolutions. I've kept it for several decades now. 🙂

So... tell us about your New Years resolutions.

And Happy New Year to all! (It just turned over to 2025 here in Texas.)

Hook

My resolution for 2025... is to not make one.  I have spent many decades making resolutions, most I did not keep.  Last year was an absolute miserable nightmare, this year has to be better, resolutions or not.

My resolutions are to not taken ANYTHING too seriously and collect as many girlfriends as I can in the old folks home.

Noel

 

 

Resolutions??  Bah, humbug!

I do the same, no resolutions, keep sailing through life and watch my kids grow,

Christmas and New Years is the start of our summer holidays, I go back to work on February 4th when the kids go back to school, that is a lot of time with them and I make the most of it 

Matthew, if you want to blow people's minds, tell them about  celebrating Christmas in the middle of summer.  Most of us live in the northern hemisphere where Christmas comes during winter. It is very different for you.

I had an online friend from Sydney who told me about it once. Totally amazing.

Hook

12 minutes ago, LHookins said:

Matthew, if you want to blow people's minds, tell them about  celebrating Christmas in the middle of summer.  Most of us live in the northern hemisphere where Christmas comes during winter. It is very different for you.

I had an online friend from Sydney who told me about it once. Totally amazing.

Hook

I moved to New Zealand from Canada in 2011 so I know those Canadian Winters, after 14 years I have become used to living in Backwards Land. Seasons are opposite, steering wheel is on the opposite side, driving is opposite, even simple things like the direction of escalators in a mall are opposite or the direction people walk, also strange things like NZ pies have meat in it (which I have come to love) compared to North Americans being sweet like Cherry Pies, Apple Pies, Strawberry Rhubarb Pies, Pumpkin Pies etc. instead we got Steak Pies or Mince and Cheese Pies and they are a national icon, the concept of putting fruit in a pie is lost on the Kiwis 

I should also add the amount of time off people get here makes a big difference, the minimum is 42 paid days off a year for everyone, so that makes a big difference to the mood of the people

Edited January 3, 20251 yr by Matthew Kane

Nothing about Santa arriving pulled by a pair of white kangaroos, wearing Bermuda shorts and carrying a beer?  Or is that just the Australians? 😄 

Hook

No kangaroos in New Zealand, but yea similar, here is the New Zealand version of Jingle Bells, my kids have a book version of this:

https://folksong.org.nz/nzchristmas/jingle_bells.html

 

38 minutes ago, Matthew Kane said:

steering wheel is on the opposite side, driving is opposite, even simple things like the direction of escalators in a mall are opposite or the direction people walk, also strange things like NZ pies have meat in it (which I have come to love) compared to North Americans being sweet like Cherry Pies, Apple Pies, Strawberry Rhubarb Pies, Pumpkin Pies etc. instead we got Steak Pies or Mince and Cheese Pies and they are a national icon, the concept of putting fruit in a pie is lost on the Kiwis 

 

Yes, that's called normal, how things should be done.

You haven't lived until you've had a chicken and mushroom pie.

Regarding fruit pies, pretty sure you must have apple pies in NZ, and other fruit pies.

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

Yes, that's called normal, how things should be done.

I can do either now, but to be honest Left Hand Drive is better because you can steer with your right hand and shirt gears with your left hand, which to be honest is better. Similar to the Left Hand Seat on an Airplane, right hand on the yoke (stick) and left hand on the throttle is more comfortable, when you sit in the right seat it's workable, just doesn't feel right. I prefer controlling with my right hand is all

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

You haven't lived until you've had a chicken and mushroom pie.

That happens to be my #1 choice when they have it

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

Regarding fruit pies, pretty sure you must have apple pies in NZ, and other fruit pies.

All the fruits grow here but fruit pies are very uncommon for some reason, Kiwi's prefer Pavlova which I don't really care for

3 hours ago, martin-w said:

Yes, that's called normal, how things should be done.

Interesting that the origins of the words right and left tell a different story about what should be the "correct" side to drive on:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/sinister-left-dexter-right-history

8 hours ago, Mike A said:

Interesting that the origins of the words right and left tell a different story about what should be the "correct" side to drive on:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/sinister-left-dexter-right-history

 

Feel free to be a slave to superstition. 

 

 

So far I've seen one New Years resolution I liked:  To still be alive to celebrate New Years 2026.

This should resonate with those of us who have reached an age where we no longer buy green bananas.

Hook

3 hours ago, martin-w said:

Feel free to be a slave to superstition

Hmm…that would explain my love for baseball 🤣