Here are some fun facts...and ideas for brining in 2023:
NYE TV line-ups
· Here’s the musical lineup for "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest." This year's event will take place at Disneyland, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and New York City. Performers at Disneyland Resort include the likes of host Ciara, K-pop group Tomorrow X [[ by ]] Together, Aly & AJ, and Halle Bailey. Wiz Khalifa, Finneas, and Dove Cameron will take the stage in Los Angeles, as well as co-host Billy Porter in New Orleans. The show airs live December 31st at 8 p.m., Eastern time on ABC.
· “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party” debuted on NBC last year to solid viewership. This year, the “Prisoner” singer’s Miami-based party will feature a star-studded lineup of performances from recording artists like Sia, Latto and Rae Sremmurd along with several undisclosed celebrity guest appearances. Dolly Parton will take Pete Davidson’s place as co-host of the event.
· A two-hour special with hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, co-stars of NBC’s “Today with Hoda & Jenna” will set the stage for the network’s late-night New Year’s Eve programming as Kotb and Hager reflect on the juiciest moments of this past year. “A Toast to 2022!” airs on NBC before “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party.”
· This year’s “Nashville’s Big Bash” is a five-hour celebration featuring a list of performers including Flo-Rida, the Zac Brown Band and Luke Bryan. Hosted by Jimmie Allen, Elle King and Rachel Smith, the event consists of 50 consecutive performances to keep the music going into the new year. The night’s featured artists are expected to invite special guests on-stage for surprise performances throughout the evening. The special will air live on CBS from 8-10 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. ET.
· CNN newscast anchor Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, best known as the host and executive producer of Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live!”, are returning as co-hosts for CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” in New York City’s Times Square. Special guests like five-time Emmy winner Jean Smart and former “Saturday Night Live” regular Cheri Oteri will join Cooper and Cohen on air, along with “Sweet but Psycho” singer Ava Max for a live performance.
Easy as 1-2-3
· Want to impress your friends with a great New Years Eve appetizer? Eating Well dot com says your friends won’t stop talking about this one…and it only takes five minute to throw together. It’s Whipped Feta Crostini. It’s literally as easy as one-two-three: toast your bread, whip your feta, top your toasties. Since you can even toast the bread in advance, if you store them in a sealed container once they've cooled—you can make it ahead. And if you have extra whipped feta, keep some veggies or pita chips on hand to polish off the leftovers the next day.
Will you miss these?
· Some burgers, desserts and sandwiches that we enjoyed in 2022 aren’t making it to 2023. Among those fast food items discontinued include the McDonald’s McRib and Egg White Delight, Burger King’s Ch-King Sandwich, Dunkin’s Veggie Egg White, Klondike’s Choco Taco, Doritos Guacamole, and Wendy’s Big Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger.
· Non-food items that aren’t coming back include: the iPod and iPod Touch, the Adidas Yeezy, and Fiery Red Underwear from Fruit of the Loom!
The official word of 2022 is…
· “Woman" is being named the Word of the Year by Dictionary.com. The website said the word is "inseparable from the story of 2022." They said searches for "woman" spiked significantly this year because of high-profile events. The biggest uptick came in March when a senator asked current Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to give a definition for the word during her confirmation hearing. It was also searched after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the death of Queen Elizabeth the Second and the imprisonment of WNBA star Brittney Griner. Other words considered for Word of the Year included "inflation," "quiet quitting," "democracy," "Wordle," and the Ukraine flag emoji.
2022's Most-Searched Song
· You would think 2022's most searched song would be from the year’s top artists, think Harry Styles or Lizzo, but in fact, it was from a Disney film. Encanto’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” was searched more than any other song in 2022. The song was performed by Carolina Gaitán (Pepa) and Mauro Castillo (Felix), and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks, making it Disney’s biggest song ever. Other songs making Google’s “most-searched” list include the viral song “Jiggle Jiggle”, “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, as well as several other songs from Encanto.
Getting thru the holidays
· Feeling a little stressed, anxious or depressed? If so, you're not alone. For many people, their mental health dips over the holidays. Psychologists offer these tips to cope. Think about how different things are from two years ago, its a good reason to be optimistic for the future. Walk away from negative or controversial conversations. And connect with those who can't be there physically by calling your friends and family and wishing them a Happy New Year. There’s a good chance they’ll really appreciate it.
And the “Entertainers Of The Year” are…
· If you’ve been obsessed with the show “White Lotus,” you’ll get this. "Entertainment Weekly" released its 2022 'Entertainers of The Year' list. Jennifer Coolidge gets top marks from the magazine for her performances in “White Lotus” and “The Watcher”. By the way, she credits her amazing success to Ariana Grande! Harry Styles was honored, as was the cast of “Abbott Elementary” and “Top Gun – Maverick.”
You can return it, but it might cost you
· It’s the thought that counts. But unfortunately not every gift is winner. As you head back to the store to exchange that oversized sweater, second toaster or pungent candle, make sure you check the return policy. Roughly 60% of retailers say they are modifying policies this year as they face rising costs, so the return process is tougher. Customers mailing returns to stores like T.J. Maxx, Kohl’s, J.C. Penney, Abercrombie & Fitch and Levi’s now have to pay shipping fees. Clothing stores like Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic and J. Crew recently shortened their return window to 30 days. Retailers say, on average, 18% of good sold during the holidays will be returned.
You’ll drink HOW MUCH on New Year’s Eve?
· With all of the parties that happen on New Years Eve, there’s no wonder it’s been called “The Drunkest Day Of The Year. The average person consumes 4.4 drinks for the occasion, and if that’s the average, some of us are hitting it harder than that! Then of course comes the hangovers, and research shows they typically last for 10 hours. Some of us try a range of things to try to feel better, including staying in bed all day, getting fresh air and going to the gym. Others just go for strong coffee…and even “hair of the dog” like a Bloody Mary.
Everyone is searching “Wordle”
· "Wordle" is Google's top trending search term of 2022. Wordle is, of course, the on-line game that exploded this year. Google Trends said the word beat out terms such as election results, Ukraine and the late actress Betty White in total U.S. searches. Globally, Wordle led other searched terms such as the late Queen Elizabeth, and the FIFA [[ fee-fuh ]] World Cup.
American Medical Assoc’s Tips For A Healthy New Year
· As you think about your New Year’s resolutions, the American Medical Association has some advice. They’re sharing goals they think are practical, that people can actually accomplish and that can make a real difference in their health. Boosting exercise and managing stress tops the list, followed by limiting sugary drinks and processed foods. They also remind us to schedule health screenings. Many screenings for breast, colorectal and prostate cancer have been missed since the start of the pandemic, so make it your New Year’s resolution to get it done!
Welcome the New Year with a tamale
· Of course here in the U.S. we’re all about dropping the ball to ring in the New Year…or dropping something…like a guitar in Memphis or a peach in Georgia. But how do other countries welcome the New Year? In Brazil, everyone goes to the beach at midnight (it’s summer there.) In Greece, they hang an onion on their door. In Ireland they bang loaves of bread against the wall. In France, of course, they drink champagne. And in Mexico, they get together and eat tamales!
Happy New Year!