Utah County residents can take solace in the fact that they don't live in Kaysville or Fruit Heights. Officials in those communities canceled public New Years' Eve celebrations because the holiday falls on a Sunday this year. Kaysville Mayor Neka Roundy told reporters it was likely that few people would attend, since LDS Church members observe Sunday as a day of worship.

Provo is getting around the Sabbath problem by conducting its First Night celebration the night before, as it did in 2001. So, on Dec. 30, residents will gather at the Provo Towne Centre to welcome 2007 with fireworks, music and dancing, even though it will still be 2006 for another day.

It does seem a bit pharisaical to celebrate the holiday early. New Year's Eve is not like Memorial Day, Thanksgiving or Presidents Day, which are anchored on specific days of the week for convenience. It commemorates the ending of a year as measured on the Gregorian calendar. It can't be shifted arbitrarily.

In contrast to Provo's calendarphobia, the LDS Church has scheduled a New Year's Eve fireside for youth in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. It seems that the church has no problem doing something to honor New Year's Eve -- and on the actual day -- though we expect the event will be marked by solemnity and reverence rather than revelry. Perhaps the youth will suddenly burst into full party mode at one second past midnight, assuming the 6 o'clock meeting goes that long.

Is a New Year's Eve party an inappropriate way to spend a Sunday eveningfi It's not as though First Night is an evening of drunken debauchery. It was designed as an alcohol-free family activity. Spending time with one's family is good any day of the week, isn't itfi (But then, we suppose the same could be said about water skiing or going to the movies or mowing one's lawn, Sunday activities that are sure to be frowned upon by the pious; so we must leave the question unanswered.)

Oddly enough, when New Year's Eve falls on a Saturday, few people seem to worry that at midnight they could suddenly veer into God's gun-sights. We have yet to observe a party in full swing, with hats and balloons and confetti and food and laughter, where at the stroke of twelve all revelers freeze in mid-merriment and quietly leave the scene, thinking about church. This, too, would seem a bit pharisaical.

It's the same story at the other end of the clock, when the new year arrives Sunday night. Church meetings are over, so why not partyfi

Oh, well. Maybe there is some method to Provo's madness in hosting First Night on Dec. 30. Provo will be the first place in the world to celebrate the new year. Thanks to global time zones, residents will ring in 2007 four hours before Tonga, the usual starting point for worldwide celebration. Local organizers should make this part of the sales pitch for the event.

Another benefit is the fact that anybody who so desires may now celebrate New Year's Eve twice -- once on the fake date and again on the real one. After partying like it's 2006 in Provo on Dec. 30, one can head to Salt Lake City for First Night the very next evening, or just stay home and watch the festivities in New York on TV.

Any Pharisees reading this are strongly cautioned that watching a celebration on TV before midnight could constitute Sabbath-breaking. Everyone else can enjoy the two-party weekend.

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What do you thinkfi

Is it a good idea to celebrate New Year's Eve a day earlyfi Send your comments to dhpolls@heraldextra.com or call 344-2942. Please leave your name, hometown and phone number with your comments. E-mail comments should not exceed 100 words; voice-mail comments should be no longer than 30 seconds. Anonymous and unverifiable responses will not be published.

The Daily Herald will publish comments on Dec. 31.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A6.

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