Hey everyone! There's only a few hours left til the clock strikes midnight. How's your New Year's Eve so far?

The New Year is often celebrated by parties, good food, revelry and of course not to forget the infamous midnight smooch to greet the New Year. I've never kissed anyone in New Year, but that's because I've always celebrated it with my family, and I'm left with choices like: my stupid brother, my parents, our annoying dog, and 1234567890 relatives who I don't feel very kissy with. And who kisses their family on the lips anyway? Well, not in our family.

But I know of this tradition having seen it countless times on television and in movies, and it has always been something that has aroused my curiosity. With only a few hours left, I'm here to examine the mechanics and the reasons behind this New Years kissing thing.

I did my research and it turns out this kissing thing has been around since 80 B.C. when the Romans would celebrate this week long holiday called Saturnalia (see Audrey's explanation about it here:http://geekychiquitas.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-history-of-christmas.html) by holding parties, and yes kissing each other for fun. 

The English and the Germans also used to kiss the first person they met when the clock strikes 12 on New Year's Eve. They say that the person you encounter or the way you meet would set the tone for the rest of the year. That means that the person you meet has to be a good kisser, sociable, and basically perfect to have a great year.

That kinda sucks.

But nowadays, people kiss each other as a sign of love, friendship or maybe just for fun or for gits and shiggles. Whether or not you kiss someone good or bad, I'm sure that won't make your year any better or worse.

So smooch away, because it's the end and the beginning of the year! 

Happy New Year Kissing everyone!

-Kimi & Auds