Now What?

Christmas, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day; I think they are all overrated. I don't see the point in spending tons of money on stupid decorations just to decorate the house you live in for one single night; the last night of the year you're in.

Christmas is different from the others, though. It is a religious event, but unfortunately it has been twisted and molded by consumerism, and has become a hollow holiday aiming to make people spend more and more money each year; just like the other "special" days of the year (here's the irony: consumers and producers have made each of these days "special", or else, how different is the 14th of February from the 13th?)

In countries which do not celebrate Christmas, New Year's Eve is celebrated rather vigorously to perhaps compensate for the possible income which could have been received from the celebration of Christmas.

Here's an expenditures list for celebrating New Year's Eve in Turkey:

1. Buy gifts for your family and friends, because its 2013 (!).

2. Buy fancy dresses and shoes if you're going out that night; also the pay for the check at the fancy restaurant or bar you "welcome 2013".

3. Buy decorations to "decorate" your house and "spread the joy".

4. Buy lottery tickets for the big prize, 45 trillion TL, thinking, "why shouldn't it be me this year?" (acknowledging the fact that the probability of you getting struck by lightning is higher than you winning the lottery).

And there are many more...

What makes the 31st of December even more pointless to me is that I am a student; and for most students, the new year 2013 doesn't mean anything. It is neither the end of the semester nor the school year: the students' New Year is in September. That's when we make resolutions.

So, today is the first day of 2013; all of last year behind us, the decorations up at the malls and the streets now totally pointless, people making "new year's resolutions" as if this year is any different than the last one, last night's dishes still not done and the house still messed up because of the crazy new year's eve party. Tomorrow, people go back to their mundane lives, that big night we've been preparing for the last three weeks has passed... Now what? Fortunately, there are always possibilities for you to spend your money on pointless things, so don't despair: Valentine's Day is coming up!