New Year’s isn’t just a countdown; it’s a mood swing. We open with a candid look at post-holiday life—quiet solo days, family brunches, and that familiar Gen X blend of relief and melancholy once the decorations come down. From there, we veer into the cultural stuff that sticks: the comfort of practical gifts (hello, towel warmer), the retail whiplash of returns, and the strange velocity of time when December turns everything foggy.

Then we get to the good part: building a New Year’s Eve playlist that actually means something. We trace Auld Lang Syne from Robert Burns to Guy Lombardo, unpack why ABBA’s Happy New Year keeps resurfacing around the world, and go deliciously dark with the lullaby from Rosemary’s Baby to question who decides when a “new year” really begins. Bon Jovi’s New Year’s Day shows how artists reset after upheaval, and The Final Countdown earns its place as the maximal, gloriously over-the-top anthem that makes any room sing. Along the way, Sleepless in Seattle’s Stardust gives us a lesson in standards, nostalgia, and how a single chord can trigger a lifetime of memory.

We also wander where curiosity leads: problematic moments in beloved classics, TikTok’s habit of reframing old family stories, spider ethics (inside spiders belong inside), and space wonders like dual-sun orbits and the maybe-already-gone Betelgeuse. A vintage 1984 diary entry—floor hockey, ocean plants, and the A-Team—reminds us how small details carry big feelings. And we sketch a future series debunking history myths, from Columbus to Franklin, with the same mix of humor and receipts.

Hit play for a playlist with purpose, movie moments worth arguing about, and a fresh take on what a “new year” can be when time feels weird and nostalgia has sharp edges. If you enjoy the show, like, share, rate, and review, follow us on the socials at like whatever pod, and tell a friend who’s already building their midnight queue.

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