A smacker on the lips makes New Year go with a bang

Generator Hostels’ survey reveals a kiss makes a happy New Year but many miss out due to overindulgence in the run up to midnight.

For one in five (19 per cent) party-goers it's the traditional midnight kiss that makes for the perfect New Year’s Eve celebrations, says a poll of 833 people by Europe’s leading hostel chain Generator Hostels.

Despite the allure of a passionate kiss to see in the New Year, one-third admit to having missed the midnight countdown after drinking too much, with a fifth (20 per cent) mentioning that feeling 'under the weather' was a factor in a bad New Year experience.

Only seven per cent of people claimed that a bad hook-up was the cause of a poor New Year, suggesting that the majority choose the right partner for their midnight kiss or are perhaps blinded by beer goggles.

Seven out of 10 people prefer to celebrate inside at a house party, club or pub rather than outside on the bank of the Thames or Trafalgar Square. Despite this, the majority of people still spent a significant £51-£75 on their celebrations, with only a savvy 12 per cent managing to spend less.

The top priority for a good New Year’s Eve was spending it with friends, with 60 per cent of respondents stating that it’s the people there that make a great party. Results also found that the majority of people are going to behappy to see the back of this year, with eight out of ten saying 2012 will be better than 2011.

Alison Armitage, director at Generator Hostels said: “The party season is in full swing and the New Year is rapidly approaching, so it’s no surprise that people seek that midnight kiss to help start 2012 with a bang.”

“Our survey reveals that people are looking ahead to an exciting 2012 after a disappointing 2011, so I’m sure party goers will be letting their hair down while bringing in the New Year,” she added.

For more information Generator Hostels, visit generatorhostels.com.