Fayetteville, AR - A recent study by the University of Arkansas found that a person's excitement about New Year's Eve and associated celebrations tends to fade with a person's age.
Lead researcher Vernon Springer, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Arkansas, said "Why are we talking about this? I mean, really, who gives a shit? Time goes by, day after day. What does it matter what particular date it is?"
Another of the researchers, Alicia Johnson, a 26-year-old doctoral candidate, added "Woooo hooooo!! Paaaaarrrrrty!! I'm going to get so blasted tonight! I absolutely love New Year's Eve! Another semester over, a chance to get together with friends, a chance to get totally hammered and maybe have unprotected sex with someone I just met!"
The study found that married couples in the 35- to 55-year-old range, with children still in the house, while still celebrating the new year, tended to move the time zone they observed further and further east each year.
Mike and Christine Burke, who live in Little Rock, Ar., are a couple in their 40s. Their children span ages 6 to 17. Mike said that they used to stay up until midnight in their own time zone, Central Standard Time. A few years ago, the couple says, they started celebrating based on midnight in the Eastern Standard Time zone, which encompasses the eastern United States, and is one hour earlier for the Burkes. Christine Burke said, "This year, we're thinking of going with the time in Happy Valley Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. It's part of Canada. Canada seems pretty cool, and our family loves maple syrup. So we thought we'd celebrate with them. That way we can go to bed around 10."
