December 31
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
December 31, 1997
Up at 10:30. We all cleaned up our sleeping pallets. I played Solitaire and waited 4 Em. We went 2 Crabtree. Got shirt and music. Showered. Went 2 Dad’s 4 dinner. Me, Ashley, and Renée went 2 Courtney Wood’s party. Zach’s being so cool. I think I’m beginning to like him in the wrong way. 3 of us spent night at Ashley’s. Straight to bed.
Emily M., age 13, North Carolina
December 31, 1990
1990 is over. It has been a good year and an exciting one. USSR became more democratic. The Berlin Wall was torn down, and Sudamm Hussain started this crap in the Middle East. I wrote in this diary every day just like I said I would. I babysat for Josh Moore. Mom and Eddie were at a party and me and Laura watched the ball drop at 12:00. We were up until 2:00! Bye! Gotta go.
Anna L., age 76, Illinois
December 31, 1960
Took tree out and things up in attic. Picked up and cleaned to a certain extent. Cooked for eve. Lo cut up and burned tree at cabin. Getting near home because so sick did nothing but write until mid nite.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
December 31, 1938
I awoke around 10:30, I guess, and wrote. Then read “Under Two Flags” till about 11:30 when M. and D. called me for breakfast. After that I washed the dishes and then dressed. We were all in a hurry to get off to Knoxville. When I was dressed I fixed Dickie (our bird) and took the milk for the Fosters over to Johnstone’s. About 1:30 we left for Knoxville. Not very cold going over but pretty cold when we got there. After leaving the car in a parking lot we all went to the Tennessee Optical Ass. and had our glasses straightened. Then we all went to George’s (a dept. store) to see about a mirror but we didn’t find a good one. While Daddy went to see about his suit Mother and I got 4 rugs for M. and D.’s bedroom. Then we went downstairs (elevator) and looked at jewelry (sale) but didn’t see anything we wanted. Met Daddy and went to Sears and Roebuck for mirror and all (practically) over town to furniture stores. Didn’t find any. In one furniture store a colored man was playing an organ. Very beautiful. Then we separated again. Daddy took the rugs to the car while M. and D. went to Miller’s (looked at jewelry) and a 10-cent store. Then we all met at S. & W. Cafeteria for supper. Streets were all lighted up. Very pretty. Daddy and I saw that “Sweethearts” was on at the Tennessee Theater and we begged Mother to go. So, after supper (about 20 till 6:00) we all went to the Tennessee for a movie. Mother and I went down the carpeted stairs to a restroom first and then met Daddy to get our seats. While I was going around M. and D. disappeared and I couldn’t find a seat in the dark. I went over on the other side to an aisle and an usher found me a seat. Got in about middle of picture, “Sweethearts” with Jeanette MacDonald as Gwen Marlowe and Nelson Eddy as her husband Ernest Lane. [In left margin: “Also Frank Morgan and Florence Rice. Funny.”] Very good. In Technicolor. Saw Newsreel and an historic mystery. About a noted Californian bandit back in the gold rush days. Very interesting. Stayed till when we came in and then left. I met Daddy and M. in the outer lobby. I was very sleepy. Three movies a week is too much for me, I guess. Went to parking lot and got car. Drove home pretty fast (60). I was cold despite blankets. Moon beautiful. Home about 9:30. Washed and then had postum and toast before bed. To bed around 11:00. [In left margin: “P.S. I made my resolutions in bed.”] About midnight I was awakened by the celebrating of 1939. All sorts of whistles and etc. Well, goodbye 1938. Hello 1939! I hope you bring happiness, prosperity, good health and luck and peace to all the world. 1939!!!!!!!
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
December 31, 1887
The last day of ’87, and the last page in this diary. This had been quite an eventful year to me as I now look over it, I wonder what ’88 has in store for me. I went with Fred both this forenoon and afternoon to get hay at his farm. I bought ½ ton off him this afternoon. It snowed 5 or 6 inches last night and stormed this afternoon. I went up town tonight and got the mail, received a letter from pa, Willie, and ma. Kate got letters from Henry and Nellie and Una got her first pair of shoes.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
December 31, 1862
Mr. Henry came this evening after dinner. The hogs will be here tonight. Tomorrow they begin to slaughter 100 head of hogs. It will be some time before they are done. Very cold & windy today. Mr. Henry got very cold before he got home.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 34, London
December 31, 1667
Up, without words to my wife, or few, and those not angry, and so to White Hall, and there waited a long time, while the Duke of York was with the King in the Caball, and there I and Creed stayed talking without, in the Vane-Room, and I perceive all people’s expectation is, what will be the issue of this great business of putting these great Lords out of the council and power, the quarrel, I perceive, being only their standing against the will of the King in the business of the Chancellor. Anon the Duke of York comes out, and then to a committee of Tangier, where my Lord Middleton did come to-day, and seems to me but a dull, heavy man; but he is a great soldier, and stout, and a needy Lord, which will still keep that poor garrison from ever coming to be worth anything to the King. Here, after a short meeting, we broke up, and I home to the office, where they are sitting, and so I to them, and having done our business rose, and I home to dinner with my people, and there dined with me my uncle Thomas, with a mourning hat-band on, for his daughter Mary, and here I and my people did discourse of the Act for the accounts, which do give the greatest power to these people, as they report that have read it (I having not yet read it, and indeed its nature is such as I have no mind to go about to read it, for fear of meeting matter in it to trouble me), that ever was given to any subjects, and too much also. After dinner with my wife and girl to Unthanke’s, and there left her, and I to Westminster, and there to Mrs. Martin’s, and did hazer con elle what I desired, and there did drink with her, and find fault with her husband’s wearing of too fine clothes, by which I perceive he will be a beggar, and so after a little talking I away and took up my wife again, and so home and to the office, where Captain Perryman did give me an account, walking in the garden, how the seamen of England are discouraged by want of money (or otherwise by being, as he says, but I think without cause, by their being underrated) so far as that he thinks the greatest part are gone abroad or going, and says that it is known that there are Irish in the town, up and down, that do labour to entice the seamen out of the nation by giving them 3l. in hand, and promise of 40s. per month, to go into the King of France’s service, which is a mighty shame, but yet I believe is true. I did advise with him about my little vessel, “The Maybolt,” which he says will be best for me to sell, though my employing her to Newcastle this winter, and the next spring, for coles, will be a gainful trade, but yet make me great trouble, but I will think of it, and so to my office, ended my letters, and so home to supper and to bed, good friends with my wife.
Thus ends the year, with great happiness to myself and family as to health and good condition in the world, blessed be God for it! only with great trouble to my mind in reference to the publick, there being little hopes left but that the whole nation must in a very little time be lost, either by troubles at home, the Parliament being dissatisfied, and the King led into unsettled councils by some about him, himself considering little, and divisions growing between the King and Duke of York; or else by foreign invasion, to which we must submit if any, at this bad point of time, should come upon us, which the King of France is well able to do. These thoughts, and some cares upon me, concerning my standing in this Office when the Committee of Parliament shall come to examine our Navy matters, which they will now shortly do. I pray God they may do the kingdom service therein, as they will have sufficient opportunity of doing it!
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)