Although I live and work in New York City, I’ve never been to the New Year’s Eve ball drop celebration in Times Square. For the many years that Condé Nast’s offices were adjacent to the location, I’d watch them set up for the festivities and observe the eager revelers who would wait close to the barriers beginning early that morning.
I have, like most of us, often watched the party on TV, even if it was in the background at a big New Year’s Eve soiree (what are those again?). A solitary celebration of the New Year may feel much different from other holidays we’ve muscled through in 2020.
While those moments, like Thanksgiving, felt like stark contrasts to our typical once-yearly gatherings with family, New Year’s Eve will undoubtedly be a reminder of the separation we currently have from our friends. But a virtual, at-home celebration is of course a small sacrifice to keep us moving towards the promise of a post-COVID 2021.