This New Year was different from previous New Yearīs celebrations because of the marked change in the calendar. 41 % of our students think that New Year 2 000 is something extraordinary and special. The rest (59%) consider itīs a common New Year. It appeared that 67.5% spent New Yearīs Eve with friends, 17.5% with their families and 15% alone. 42.5% celebrated in the mountains or in the country, the others in Prague. Only 5% joined the enormous crazy party which was in the centre. Here is how one of us celebrated:

How I celebrated New Yearīs Eve 1999.

I spent New Yearīs Eve at Dubičná (a village) together with thirty other Christians. Some were Baptists, like me, the others are members of another Protestant Church. On the 31st December I woke up 9 oīclock and initially I didnīt realize that it was the last day of the year 1999. After breakfast we were studying Bible and playing a game, where I was a spy. They didnīt disclose me. After dinner we played many games again and one hour before midnight we celebrated the New Year in the Ukraine because there were two Ukrainians among us. Before midnight we climbed the hill behind the cottage and prayed. Then we were singing over midnight. After some petards and snowballing we returned to the cottage and drank many sorts of drinks. After several games everybody went to bed except me, my brother and three girls. We were chatting about the "Second Advent" etc. until morning. The sun rose behind the window and I saw a squirrel. I was probably the first Czech boy to see a squirrel in the New Year 2000. After breakfast I tried to sleep a little, but I didnīt succeed. So I was awake all 1st January. We were playing many fantastic games all the day and night. Finally I fell asleep at 4 a.m. on the 2nd January. I was about for 43 hours without a sleep.