Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Wall Street Hits Over One-Week Low on Tariff Uncertainty, Data in Focus

4 hours ago

US Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Use of Troops in Los Angeles

5 hours ago

Garnet Fire in Fresno County Grows to 26,982 Acres, 12% Contained

5 hours ago

US Construction Spending Dips in July

5 hours ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

4 days ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

4 days ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

4 days ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

5 days ago
The Midnight Kiss Is Dead - Here's How the Cool Kids Celebrate New Year's
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 8 months ago on
December 28, 2024

The iconic New Year's Eve midnight kiss is losing popularity as younger generations opt for more personal celebrations. (Depositphotos)

Share

The midnight kiss has long been the singular goal of many a New Year’s Eve celebration – a mix of romance, superstition and a hearty dose of FOMO. But lately, fewer people are puckering up as the clock strikes twelve. The iconic kiss is being ghosted in favor of celebrations that feel more personal and less cringe.

How It Began

Legend has it that the midnight kiss traces back to ancient Roman Saturnalia festivals and European masquerade balls. Revelers would remove their masks at midnight and kiss to mark the end of one year and the start of another. Folklore added a layer of superstition, claiming the kiss would bring good luck and ensure strong relationships in the year ahead.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the midnight kiss showed up in a New York Times article from Jan. 3, 1863, noting, “New Year’s Eve is a great time among the Germans, who assemble around the domestic fireside … As the clocks ring out the hour of midnight, all this festivity pauses for a moment, to listen, and as the last stroke dies into silence, all big and little, old and young, male and female, push into each other’s arms, and hearty kisses go round like rolls of labial musketry.” The tradition was clearly beloved, as the article adds, “Gentlemen and ladies in the bloom of youth heartily approve this custom!”

Over time, the midnight kiss became a fixture of New Year’s celebrations, fueled by popular culture and traditions. But just like the Times Square ball drop, not everyone is into it anymore.

Why It’s Falling Out of Favor

A 2022 Rasmussen Reports survey found that only 45% of American adults planned to kiss at midnight – down from 51% the year before. Younger generations, especially millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly rejecting tradition. For many – especially singles, asexual people or anyone who cringes at public displays of affection – the tradition feels old-fashioned at best, or downright uncomfortable.

This shift isn’t happening in a vacuum. Younger generations are more vocal about rejecting societal expectations that don’t resonate with their values. And then there’s the fact that, according to a 2022 Pew Research study, 57% of single adults aren’t even interested in dating, citing other priorities like career, hobbies and simply enjoying being single.

Increased focus on mental health and personal boundaries have made consent and personal space central to how younger generations navigate social interactions, including kissing. For many, the midnight kiss represents outdated ideas about romance that feel increasingly out of step with contemporary life.

Social Media Is the Nail in the Coffin

Platforms like TikTok are right there with disposing of societal norms that no longer serve their original purpose. In fact, they’re throwing tradition under the proverbial party bus with hashtags and trends showcasing everything but kissing as a way to celebrate the moment the old year becomes a new one. Solo dances in your jammies? Group hugs? Slurping noodles? Journaling your goals? All in. Obligatory lip locking? Hard pass.

Gen Z is embracing a more relaxed lifestyle, prioritizing personal comfort and self-care over traditional social activities. “Gen Z has become wholesome, and I’m thrilled,” wrote Kim Schewitz in a 2023 Business Insider article, reflecting on a generational shift towards valuing meaningful, personal experiences over performative social norms.

Pop Culture’s Evolving Role

Movies like “When Harry Met Sally” made the midnight kiss iconic, but even Hollywood is starting to move with the times. Inclusive storytelling is making room for different ways to mark the New Year, whether it’s with romance, friendship or just spending it solo.

Take Netflix’s hit “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” as an example. The New Year’s Eve scene doesn’t revolve around a romantic kiss – it’s a plot-driving moment of suspense, camaraderie and personal revelations. This shift reflects how even on-screen traditions are evolving to embrace a wider spectrum of experiences, showing that celebrating the New Year can be just as meaningful without the pressure to lock lips.

What’s Replacing the Midnight Kiss?

The midnight kiss isn’t completely dead, but it’s steadily being edged out by group hugs, pet snuggles or quiet reflection. Organizing and goal-setting are also surprise winners. Who needs a kiss when you’ve got a solid plan for the year ahead?

Social media plays a big part in this evolution, too, with TikTok and Instagram celebrating nontraditional rituals. Dancing in pajamas, eating donuts or toasting your closest friends with a glass of kombucha are the new mood.

Looking Ahead

The midnight kiss is losing its sparkle, making way for celebrations that truly resonate. Whether it’s kissing, baking cookies or tearing up the dance floor solo, it’s all about what feels right for you. Say goodbye to the awkward traditions and hello to your own kind of celebration. This year, you make the rules.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He Is ‘Very Disappointed’ With Putin Over Ukraine

DON'T MISS

Letter to the Editor: CSU Chancellor’s Silence on Joe Castro’s Passing ‘Is Appalling’

DON'T MISS

Disney to Pay $10 Million to Settle US Claim of Allowing Unlawful Collection of Children’s Data

DON'T MISS

Trump Moves Space Command Headquarters to Alabama From Colorado

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Wildfire Burns Near Coalinga, CalFire Reports

DON'T MISS

What Could Nikki Henry’s $162,000 Buy for Fresno Unified? Let’s Ask AI

DON'T MISS

China’s Xi Hosts ‘Old Friend’ Putin, North Korea’s Kim in Challenge to West

DON'T MISS

Plea for Help After Landslide Wipes out Sudan Village, Killing 1,000

DON'T MISS

Recognition of Palestinian State Would Spur Sprint Towards Two-State Solution, Envoy Says

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Celia Ann Santiago

UP NEXT

Letter to the Editor: CSU Chancellor’s Silence on Joe Castro’s Passing ‘Is Appalling’

UP NEXT

Disney to Pay $10 Million to Settle US Claim of Allowing Unlawful Collection of Children’s Data

UP NEXT

Trump Moves Space Command Headquarters to Alabama From Colorado

UP NEXT

Fresno County Wildfire Burns Near Coalinga, CalFire Reports

UP NEXT

China’s Xi Hosts ‘Old Friend’ Putin, North Korea’s Kim in Challenge to West

UP NEXT

Plea for Help After Landslide Wipes out Sudan Village, Killing 1,000

UP NEXT

Recognition of Palestinian State Would Spur Sprint Towards Two-State Solution, Envoy Says

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Celia Ann Santiago

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Attack DUI, Arrest More Than 100 Drivers in 3 Weeks

UP NEXT

Republican US Senator Ernst Says She Won’t Seek Re-Election

Trump Moves Space Command Headquarters to Alabama From Colorado

18 minutes ago

Fresno County Wildfire Burns Near Coalinga, CalFire Reports

35 minutes ago

What Could Nikki Henry’s $162,000 Buy for Fresno Unified? Let’s Ask AI

47 minutes ago

China’s Xi Hosts ‘Old Friend’ Putin, North Korea’s Kim in Challenge to West

1 hour ago

Plea for Help After Landslide Wipes out Sudan Village, Killing 1,000

1 hour ago

Recognition of Palestinian State Would Spur Sprint Towards Two-State Solution, Envoy Says

2 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Celia Ann Santiago

2 hours ago

Fresno Police Attack DUI, Arrest More Than 100 Drivers in 3 Weeks

2 hours ago

Republican US Senator Ernst Says She Won’t Seek Re-Election

2 hours ago

Caleb Quick Update: Families of Victim, Getaway Driver Share Condolences

2 hours ago

Trump Says He Is ‘Very Disappointed’ With Putin Over Ukraine

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was “very disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin and added wit...

2 minutes ago

President Donald Trump attends an event in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 2, 2025. (Reuters/Brian Snyder)
2 minutes ago

Trump Says He Is ‘Very Disappointed’ With Putin Over Ukraine

Joseph Castro
7 minutes ago

Letter to the Editor: CSU Chancellor’s Silence on Joe Castro’s Passing ‘Is Appalling’

Disney+ logo is seen in this illustration taken August 5, 2025. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)
15 minutes ago

Disney to Pay $10 Million to Settle US Claim of Allowing Unlawful Collection of Children’s Data

President Donald Trump speaks during a visit to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 13, 2025. (Reuters File)
18 minutes ago

Trump Moves Space Command Headquarters to Alabama From Colorado

A 60-acre wildfire near Jacalitos Creek Road in Coalinga that started Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, remains fully active and inaccessible, with 70 firefighters and air tankers battling it, CalFire said. (CalFire)
35 minutes ago

Fresno County Wildfire Burns Near Coalinga, CalFire Reports

Business person think before make decision to lay off employee and using AI technology to replace workforce for more productivity and cost saving.
47 minutes ago

What Could Nikki Henry’s $162,000 Buy for Fresno Unified? Let’s Ask AI

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk at the personal residence of the Chinese leader Zhongnanhai in Beijing, China September 2, 2025. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS
1 hour ago

China’s Xi Hosts ‘Old Friend’ Putin, North Korea’s Kim in Challenge to West

An area is damaged following a landslide that destroyed the Tersin village, in the Marra Mountains area of Sudan September 1, 2025. Sudan Liberation Movement/Army/Handout via REUTERS
1 hour ago

Plea for Help After Landslide Wipes out Sudan Village, Killing 1,000

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend