New Year is that time when we announce our ‘resolutions’ -- on social media, to our friends, our folks and so on. Oh, well, it is also the time when we run a mental appraisal of things we did -- or didn’t -- manage to achieve in the outgoing year.

To a fairly successful -- and reasonably contented -- person, this might just mean a futile exercise of collecting wishful thoughts. And, then there are those who might make slight of it by attributing it to losers. I would want to look at it from a non-cynical or unbiased angle.

To me, there is some ‘solid’ reason why you could engage in the activity: The beginning of the year, or for some, even a month, offers a strange sense of joy which actually comes from the ‘hope’ that you may now be able to achieve all that you couldn’t earlier.

So for me, making new-year resolutions is about ‘hope’ -- or finding it. Whatever you set out to achieve for yourself at this point will give you a sense of happiness. It may be a momentary thing, you can rest assured that it shall give you the necessary impetus and you shall feel ever more determined. This makes starting over easy, doesn’t it?

New Year’s eve is also about taking stock of your situation. Well, again, you shall not be doing it with a morose mind but a happy outlook; take it from me. Your perception at this point is decidedly different (read positive) from what you had any other time in the year before. You’d now feel better inclined to overlook, if not completely ignore, any regrets you’ve had. You are less resentful. And, that’s good enough a reason to celebrate.

Whether you shall actually be able to achieve all that features prominently on your bucket list for the new year is a different concern, that should be left for a different time. It shouldn’t interrupt your state of merriment -- not for now at least.

I know people who see it as one occasion that they will have a ball on. They plan get-togethers well ahead of the eve, and the kind of celebrations we see happening the world over is a feast for the eyes.

Those who think it is a Christian festival should think again. The joy is unmistakable among most Muslim societies also. According to a report, the show of fireworks in Dubai on 2016’s New Year set a world record. It is said to have cost the organisers USD six millions.

Of course, we know of the other festivities such as hooting, one-wheeling, binge-drinking, etc. But I care more for the ‘resolutions’ part.

So, let’s live the moment. There’s no harm in it.