I've had some lovely extraordinary experiences on New Year's

Debbie Harry, voice of a generation and icon of transformation, once reflected: “I’ve had some lovely extraordinary experiences on New Year’s Eve.” Though the words are simple, they carry the fragrance of something timeless: that New Year’s Eve is more than a date on the calendar—it is a threshold, a liminal place where the old world closes its eyes and the new one stirs awake. In her remembrance of extraordinary experiences, she speaks of the power that comes when humans gather at the turning of time, hearts filled with memory, longing, and hope.

The meaning of her words is rooted in the universal nature of New Year’s Eve. Across cultures and centuries, this night has been marked as sacred—a time of endings and beginnings, of reflection and anticipation. To live such moments with intensity, as Harry did, is to touch the deep currents of human existence. Her “lovely extraordinary experiences” are not merely parties or performances; they are encounters with the mystery of renewal, with the rare magic of time itself pausing to grant us a chance to begin again.

The origin of this tradition is ancient. The Babylonians celebrated Akitu, their New Year festival, thousands of years ago, symbolizing the victory of order over chaos. The Romans dedicated their New Year to Janus, the god with two faces—one looking back, one looking forward. Even today, in Times Square where Harry herself once reigned as a cultural figure, the dropping of the crystal ball is a modern ritual echoing these old truths: humanity has always craved a sign, a symbol to mark the passage from what has been to what will be.

Consider the story of George Washington crossing the Delaware River on December 31, 1776. While the world celebrated endings and beginnings, he led weary soldiers through snow and darkness to a bold victory that revived a faltering revolution. That night became extraordinary, not because of revelry, but because of its transformation—because men seized the chance to turn despair into triumph. In this way, New Year’s Eve has always been a night when the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and Debbie Harry’s words resonate with this same sense of timeless possibility.

Her quote also reminds us that the extraordinary often dwells in the ordinary, waiting only for us to awaken to it. A kiss at midnight, a laugh shared with friends, a song sung when the clock strikes twelve—these are simple moments, yet on New Year’s Eve, they shimmer with meaning. They are imbued with the human longing to connect, to seal the past, and to carry hope forward. Harry, as a performer and dreamer, would have felt these moments intensely: the way music, light, and human joy combine into something unforgettable.

The lesson is clear: do not let the night of passage slip by unmarked. Use it to reflect upon what has been, to gather gratitude, and to release what no longer serves you. Welcome the new year not passively, but with intention, with ritual, with courage. Create your own “lovely extraordinary experiences,” not by chasing spectacle, but by allowing yourself to be fully present, fully alive in that fragile hour when one year dies and another is born.

Practical action flows easily from this wisdom. On New Year’s Eve, write down the burdens you wish to leave behind and burn them in flame. Gather loved ones and speak aloud your hopes for the year ahead. Dance, sing, embrace—whatever awakens your spirit. For the night belongs not only to the past or to the future, but to the power of the present moment. Debbie Harry’s words remind us that if we open our hearts, the night will return our offering in extraordinary ways.

So, children of tomorrow, remember this: every turning of the year is a gift, a chance to step boldly into the unknown. Seek out your own “lovely extraordinary experiences,” for they are not accidents, but the fruit of living with awareness, gratitude, and courage. And when the midnight bell tolls, may you greet it not with fear, but with joy—knowing that endings are but beginnings in disguise.