My memories of New Year’s Eve growing up in the 70s and 80s were outrageous fancy dress parties. Every year my grandparents threw a themed party, you bought a bottle, your kids and danced the night away. It was an honest and lively gathering, everyone making great efforts to have a tongue-in-cheek costume. I was even allowed to wear my Angel Gabriel outfit I wore for the nativity play one year. It was a dressing up dream.

The mantle of hosting the night passed down to my folks which included a ‘Heroes of the Millennium’ party on December 31, 1999. We’d go that extra mile to make it special, building beach bars out of bamboo and a workbench, painting sunset murals or making Magna Carter posters. After that the tradition has fizzled out a little. We’ve all moved on to try different things, ticketed pub nights, murder mystery parties, fireworks at Westminster Bridge London even live bands in the hip Lower East Side, New York City. Somehow nothing feels better than a house gathering, all your mates, Big Ben chimes at midnight and Auld Lang Syne (does anyone know all the words?).

Our little family pad isn’t suitable to carry on the tradition but we have excellent friends who do and this year was no exception. It was so easy - we danced and played together until she became heavy-eyed. We then popped her in her pyjamas, in a travel cot, in the spare room where we were both kipping the night and carried on partying. Little L happily slept through two viciously competitive quizzes, Abba Singstar and pass-the-parcel (with grown up chocolate and forfeits in between the layers). It meant an awful lot to me, being able to carry on the New Year’s Eve tradition of being with friends, with my child in tow. After all she is one of the gang!

Little L and I wish everyone the very best for 2010.