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New Year Surprises

A family New Year’s tradition proves that the best celebrations—and surprises—often happen outdoors and close to home.

2 min read

Photo Credit: © Mrsash174 | Dreamstime.com

My family’s New Year’s celebration starts with teenagers and adults huddled around the fire playing board games, reading books or watching TV while the 7-year-olds go to bed for a pre-celebration nap.

When the clock ticks 11 p.m., the teenagers jump up, wake their sisters, and everybody puts on their ski clothes, grabs their ski gear and heads outside to celebrate.

We hike down the golf course through the dark to the base of Cindy’s Chair—a blue diamond run at Holiday Valley Ski Resort in Elicottville, NY—and wait patiently with all the other crazy folks partaking in the midnight “parade.”