New Year's

On my drive home from my girlfriend's house tonight I saw, surprise, an accident. One of those ugly new cars was in the middle of the street, perpendicular to the middle divider lane; the driver-side door was open. Three younger looking (probably mid-20s) were on the opposite side of the street, and slightly up from them was a mid-sized SUV; I didn't catch the model, but its front driver-side bumper was a bit chewed up. I slowed down, didn't see much activity and saw no one lying on the ground; the girls were on a cell phone, so I drove on...
All this hype about New Year's Eve.. I don't get it. What's the big deal? I can kinda understand a small gathering, kissing your loved one at midnight and New Year's resolutions, but all the wild parties, silly TV extravaganzas and drunkeness I cannot understand. So anyway, I hope everyone had a safe New Year's, and here's to the best in 2005.