One of the best New Year's Eves I ever had was taking my Mum out for dinner because she was miserable after a break up. We argued before the second course, she cried, and we were in bed by 10 past midnight. I'm not boring and I don't generally get off on other people's misery, it was just really nice to eschew the usual NYE pressure to saunter up to someone and snog them at the strike of twelve – preferably while wearing a sexy spaghetti strap dress and some kind of glittery eyeshadow that you would never wear at any other time of year.
The best New Years are those that work out serendipitously – the ones that break with convention and find magic in their own strangeness or surprise. Here, we look back on some New Year's Eve kisses from TV and film. Some were typically "perfect" – that is to say, romantic – and some... not so much. Hopefully they'll help you decide who you want to kiss as you see in 2016; your crush, your friend, or your miserable mum.
Ryan and Marissa, The O.C.
The best part of this video isn't the song, or the copious amounts of lipgloss, or the slo-mo. No, it's Ryan's bad acting when he's struggling up those stairs.
Rosie and Sian, Coronation Street
When the teens kissed on New Year's Eve 2010, ITV received hundreds of complaints that the storyline was inappropriate and "glamorousing" lesbian relationships. To us it just seems a little bit awkward? Still, always nice to see a gay kiss on screen. Especially when there are so few.
When everyone kisses, Friends
It was 1999 and Joey was the only one who knew about Monica and Chandler. In order for the two of them to be able to kiss at midnight, he engineered Phoebe and Ross to pair off, while he kissed Rachel. Cute.
Scully & Mulder, X-Files
The millennium was a ripe time for unexpected snogs in TV shows. Here's another one ft. the queen that is Gillian Anderson.
Dan and Serena, Gossip Girl
Poor Serena. While Blair's on the brink of marrying Louis, fighting feelings for Chuck, and enjoying some 'moral support' from Dan, S is left trying to re-kindle with D. The step-siblings' kiss leaves a lot to be desired in the passion department. Our heart bleeds, Upper East-Siders.
Harry and Sally, When Harry Met Sally
An obvious one but a good one all the same. Enough to turn any New Year's Eve detractor into a soppy mess. Also – further evidence that the line between love and hate really isn't so thick after all. Especially when it comes to most people's relationship with this film.
Bridget and Mark Darcy, Bridget Jones' Diary
Best movie ever made. Discuss.
Lucy and Kevin, 200 Cigarettes
On New Year's Eve 1981, sad sack hottie Paul Rudd (bedecked with incredible sideburns) hangs out with his platonic pal Courtney Love. Both struggle to cope with their attraction and demonstrate what happens when good pals just decide to throw caution to the wind.
Almost everyone, Sex And The City: The Movie
There was a lot that wasn't great about the SATC movie. Like, a lot. But who doesn't love a new year montage scene with an Auld Land Syne cover over dubbed over it? No one. No one at all.
Michael and Fredo, The Godfather Part II
At a rowdy NYE party in Havana, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) gives his brother Fredo, who has recently secretly betrayed him, a kiss on the lips and delivers the iconic line: "I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart." Fred knows his number is up. Feliz año nuevo, it is not.
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