“Fast away the old year passes,

 Hail the new, ye lads and lasses.”

If you sing enough verses of “Deck the Halls” you come to the lines above, which to us sum up the appeal of changing the calendar. Turning the page is a tidy concept: out with the old, in with the new.

Real life, of course, does not usually work that way. Families continue to grapple with difficulties, illnesses, tragedies; and businesses, while they may start a fresh set of books, still must strive to improve weaknesses and capitalize on strengths.

The New Year concept ignores the reality that life is a continuum.

But, at the same time, a fresh page signifies the chance to make a fresh start. That’s why so many people resolve to lose weight, stop smoking, work out more, and clean out the closets. The relative emptiness of January gives us a chance to make a running start on our vows. A few holidays may intervene, but for most people business is slow, school activities give way to study periods and exams, and outdoor distractions are few and far between.

The Gazette-Journal comes to the end of its calendar year, and this issue is Number 52, marking the last publication of 2017. When we reappear on Jan. 4, it will be in the newborn wrappings of issue Number 1 of 2018: our own chance to make new plans, a fresh start, and to put behind us some of the challenges that faced us in the months gone by.

As ever, we are grateful to our readers and advertisers for their continuing support. They make it possible for us to continue our best efforts to produce “Your Hometown Newspaper” as an effective newspaper of record for Gloucester and Mathews counties.

Happy New Year!