Midnight, Atlantic Standard Time

Originally published in the St. John Sun Times

In typical island fashion, it was hard to tell when the old year ended and the new one began.

The party was at Skinny Legs in Coral Bay where the unadvertised festivities (New York City band, free champagne, and surf & turf) drew a lively and appreciative local crowd with revelers dressed in everything from typical-everyday-casual to we-just-came-from-dinner-at-Caneel-Bay-black-tie. As twelve o’clock drew near, the bartenders donned sparkly Happy New Year tiaras and began pouring the bubbly.  Top hats, leis, and noisemakers were passed around.   December 31st was slipping away but Work of Art was mid-song and the dance floor was jamming.  Would they stop for a traditional Times Square-style countdown?

Nope.

The music rocked on while dancers—with watches held high in the air—did their own countdowns to the New Year.  Plenty of kissing and hugging and horn blowing marked the arrival of midnight—give or take a minute.

An hour (or so) later, someone suggested turning the TV to Dick Clark to watch the ball drop on the East Coast, but by the time the channel was changed, well, they were already playing “Auld Lang Syne.”

No worries.  Just another reason to keep on toasting:  Happy New Year.  Island Time.