ROSEMARY ABBOTT | Culture
COUCH COUNTDOWN
31-year-old Matt Hill, from Nelson, has yet to secure any New Year’s Eve plans.
“I’m just hoping someone’s doing something,” he said. “Maybe a BBQ, maybe a quiet drink somewhere. I don’t know. I’m open to suggestions. It’s just hard to know what everyone’s up to these days.”
Matt’s friends are largely married or burdened with children, which makes spontaneous partying something akin to a mythical creature from his twenties.
Back then, New Year’s Eve involved ringing in the countdown drunk in Nelson’s night club and the occasional sprint across town to make it to another party before 3am. Now, the most he can hope for is a gathering that officially ends before 7:30pm so his friends’ kids can get to bed.
His optimism spiked briefly when a friend, Damo, mentioned a potential backyard BBQ. “He said he might have a thing,” Matt admitted, eyes lighting up. “But apparently it finishes by 7:30 because, you know, kids. But still, it’s something.
Despite the scaled-back festivities, Matt remains hopeful. “Maybe someone else will text. Maybe there’s a wild idea hiding in a group chat somewhere. You never know,” he said while jealously thinking of his parents in their early 60s who were going to be having drinks at a bar and watching the countdown on Nelson’s Church Cathedral.
When pressed about what he’ll do if nothing materializes, Matt shrugged. “Well, as long as I have some beers in the fridge, I’m sure I’ll find some random A-League or Big Bash cricket game to watch.”
More to come.
