Niceties

When do you stop saying “Happy New Year”? How long is it appropriate to say happy new year for after the 1^st of January? I mean we are now January 9^th, which I suppose would still be fine to say it but how much longer? What is the cut off date? At what point is it considered weird to keep saying “Happy New Year” to people? I’m thinking after a week, maybe a week and a half after the 1^st you can stop saying it as a general nicety. If you are speaking to your best friend for the first time after the 1^st on let’s say the 22^nd of January then I would say it’s perfectly appropriate to wish them a happy new year but to the general public I think now it’s just odd!

Just thoughts that I had while travelling today and being wished happy new year over the intercom on the plane by the flight attendant. I thought it was very sweet of her but somehow strange, which then sparked this question in my mind and I decided to write about it since I don’t really have anything else to do of high importance while I wait for my connecting flight at the Dallas Fort Worth airport.

Fun story though- I decided to go to TGI Fridays for lunch on this break I had and I was given a spot at a counter overlooking passerby’s on their way to or from their flights. I sat down and pulled out my book. I am currently reading “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert and it is awesome. I saw currently reading meaning that I just started it and although I am not actually reading it at the moment, since clearly I am typing this, you understand what I mean. I say awesome because although I am only about 30 pages into the book I have laughed out loud, ok maybe I have really only giggled out loud but still, several times already!

I pull out my book and set it on the counter and this older gentleman sitting next to me says, “That’s supposed to be a great book,” to which I responded, well although I just started it I have to say that it really is quite fabulous! I also told him that there is apparently the male version of this book now out there about drinking and sex and something else I cannot remember. In the end we chatted a little bit and discovered that we are both from Montreal and that Americans don’t know enough about Canada, or their own country for that matter. Being Canadian I can name all of our provinces and easily about 48 states; I always seem to stump myself the last four... I am getting better though! It was a nice chat before he left me; I ate my salad and then returned to my book, before getting up and leaving for my gate. I love meeting people while I travel, and when I travel I find I am very myself which attracts people to me because I am easy going and friendly- that calm and centered energy is beneficial when travelling!!!