The significance of the dawning of a new year is another topic on which Vulcans and Earthlings disagree.
To a Vulcan, it is illogical that the changing of a single digit (or two) in the year should be considered to be so meaningful. But for an Earthling, the rituals associated with the passage of time and the changing of the seasons form the context in which we measure the progress of our lives.
A new year means a new beginning. After the hardships that 2009 imposed on most of us, it is understandable that the dawning of a new year should be greeted with more than average enthusiasm.
So long as humans measure the significance of things in ways that go beyond the purely functional, there will always be a disconnect between the Vulcan and Earthling world view.
So Happy New Year, Earthlings! And happy 40,179 (Excel’s coding of 1/1/2010), Vulcans!
