Why does this kiss countdown count and where did it come from?

Scrooge McLoveTrekker has come out of the Santa bag yet again to harumph: “New Years Eve is my least favorite holiday of the year.” There’s so much damn pressure we put on ourselves to have a great evening, to find that perfect outfit, to kiss a guy who matters that we inevitably end up killing the night before it’s even started. It’s as if we’re saying ‘THIS is the night that determines how our following year turns out. There’s no going back.” Except we all rationally know that one measly night has very little to do at all with the tone of your upcoming year, and if you think about it, the people you tend to spend NYE with are rarely the people who end up impacting your year, in the end. So, where did these misguided fears and irrational pressures come from? more…