Assuming you wont be at home singing 'Auld Lang Syne' by yourself watching the ball drop on television, it'd be interesting to see where everyone plans to be when ringing in the New Year.

Some go to friends' parties, others hit up bars for some live, local music, while others are out clubbing. While it seems everyone is penny-pinching lately, do your fellow St. Louisans a favor and let us in on your cheap choice for celebrating New Year's this 2009/2010 season.

Click on the event titles for more info. Please keep in mind some of these may require a pre-purchased ticket, while others will allow you to purchase at the door - most offer a discounted price with advanced ticket purchase.  Events are in no particular order:

Amy Grant and Vince Gill want to help spread the holiday cheer this Christmas season, and they are arriving just in time, December 19th at the Scottrade Center.

As a kid and even still, I enjoy a good festive evening car ride of “Christmas light gawking.” Its nice to know that others share my same seasonal urge, which has influenced a variety of light displays over the greater St. Louis area. Two of the most popular (outside of church hosted events) light spectacles are in Jelly Stone Park (Eureka) and Tilles Park (St. Louis).

 

If you want something that offers a little bit of everything, the upcoming Kaleidoscope event in St. Louis will be perfect for you.

 This New Years Eve, why not spend your night in Grand Center for First St. Louis and have one of the best nights of your life, partying with friends and family while ringing in the new year.

This is much more than a grand party, it is an artful event that will satisfy even the most particular tastes. 

Christmas is honestly my favorite time of year. I think its sickening how commercialized and materialized this season of giving has become though. Weeks before Thanksgiving the Salvation Army already has bell ringers glued to each entry and exit way of grocery stores, Kmarts and Walmarts. It's a big guilt trip going into the store for your already chopped down grocery list and having to feel like crap when you have no extra money to put in those stupid red buckets. Trust me, I'm for charity, I just think it is twisted how a lot of people I speak to feel the same way about the Salvation Army bell ringers. Its not that we aren't charitable people, its just that we are already struggling to make ends meet and alongside of paying Uncle Sam every extra dime we get, bell ringers make you feel guilty that you should also give up every last penny you have.

I, along with several friends, have resorted to the ‘don't leave your car unless you successfully managed to get someone else on the other line' course of action. This way, we appear distracted when we walk by the bell ringers and don't look heartless and at the same time we don't feel as guilty as we would if we would just walk past them and avoid eye contact. I always smile and nod, though. I give props to those who do charity work. I spent about a year and half doing charity work myself and I know how under appreciated those folks are.