That's the philosophy of Peter Hocking, director of the Howard Swearer Center for Public Service. Hocking and his staff challenge people to think about starting a long-term involvement during the holidays. Community centers are a great way to begin because they do such a wide range of things - from day care to tutoring to food pantries. In most societies, alcohol plays a major role in celebrations, sometimes the drinking itself marks the celebration. But if you don't do that, the best prescription is to lie low, take it easy, drink lots of water and wait.
Time is the only thing that cures it.
While millions of Americans will be watching the ball drop with Dick Clark's countdowns, Afro-Brazilians will be on the beach giving flowers and sending messages to Yemanja, the goddess of the water. In Germany, they'll be setting off firecrackers and reading their fortunes in globs of melted lead floating in cold water. And if they want to do more traveling, the custom requires them to walk around the block carrying two empty suitcases.