The New Year, a time for celebration and resolutions.

By Kate Krieger. Senior Correspondent.

LUDINGTON – With the New Year right around the corner, many people take a moment to reflect on the last year and how things in their lives need to change and they make a New Year’s resolution.

Dating back to religious origins, but more popularly in the United States after the Great Depression, people started creating resolutions to help set goals for the next year. Many of those resolutions consist of losing weight, changing jobs, managing a better budget, making new friends or even trying to start a family. Although many people are extremely ambitious when setting their resolutions, according to a study done in 2007, almost 90 percent of the set resolutions failed.

When asked on the Mason County Press Facebook page, many responded to the question, “What is your New Year’s resolution for 2015?”

Amanda Hepworth stated, “I am putting more of my past behind me and leaving it there.”

Scott Haynor said, “Head back to the gym.”

Donna Nickelson stated, “Spending some time for me.”

Many people discussed their resolutions, but others have decided that making resolutions isn’t for them, whether they just don’t want to, or they feel they couldn’t hold up their end of the deal.

Beth Vincent Keson stated, “My resolution is to NOT make a resolution, seems most get broken within the first few months anyway.”

‪Nancy Osenga Peretin said, “Resolutions are good as long as they’re realistic. Mine is to master my new computer.”

Whether a resolution is in your very near future or not, the New Year is sure to bring about changes for most people and celebrating those upcoming changes can be an exciting and thrilling time.

Downtown Ludington will be hosting its sixth annual New Year’s Eve ball drop festivities Wednesday night. Events start at 9:30 p.m. in the entertainment area located in the James Street Plaza at the north corner of Ludington Avenue and James Street. Restaurants, stores and bars will be open during the event and commemorative cups and drink specials can be purchased at the Ludington City Hall through business hours on Wednesday.

The annual ball drop takes place in the final seconds of 2014 at the Ludington Avenue and James Street intersection, followed by a fireworks display overhead.

For those looking to celebrate into the early hours of 2015, Mason County police and sheriff departments are teaming up with local towing companies, Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Mason County, S.A.D.D., Ludington Beverage and Ludington Mass Transportation Authority to offer free rides home and free car tows to anyone who has been drinking alcohol. Call the transportation authority at 231-845-6218 and make reservations starting at 6 a.m. through 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31, and then starting again 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, New Year’s Day.

Towing companies participating are:

• Abrahamson’s Towing: 231-843-2990
• Quinn’s Tires and Tows: 231-757-9262
• Oceana Auto: 231-873-3500
• Fiers’ Towing & Recovery: 231-757-4479

The service area for Drive Safe, Drive Sober is from Ludington east to Scottville and from Hansen Road, south to Conrad Road.

Thousands gather each year for the New Year’s Eve events and with the weather forecast predicting a high in the mid-20s, onlookers should prepare to bundle up and huddle around friends and family to ring in the New Year in the streets of downtown Ludington.