Entertainment

The Greatest New Year’s Eve Party Anthem Ever

by Kristie Rohwedder

In the year 1999, the then-brand spankin' new music video for Jennifer Lopez’s “Waiting for Tonight” was in heavy rotation on MTV. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. The video depicts the forever luminous J. Lo dancing at a massive, laser-filled New Year's Eve party held at an undisclosed tropical location. In the year 1999, I was 12. The craziest NYE party I'd attended up to that point involved spending the night in my friend's basement. (We watched Adam Sandler movies and chugged Vanilla Coke until 2 a.m. Great time, would recommend.) The NYE party in the "Waiting for Tonight" video was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. (Fast-forward to 2014: The NYE party in the "Waiting for Tonight" video remains unlike anything I've ever experienced.)

Is that what NYE will be like when I grow up? 12-year-old me wondered as she watched the video. Can I look forward to my New Year's Eve being like that one day? Is that what NYE is like when you're an adult? When I get my braces off and figure out how to style my bangs, will I be invited to a laser-filled NYE party? OH MY GOD, I CAN'T WAIT.

Clearly, I had a very firm grasp on reality. Never one to set myself up for disappointment!

Here are 26 things from the "Waiting for Tonight" music video (aka the greatest New Year's Eve Party music video ever) that shaped 12-year-old me's totally reasonable NYE expectations:

There will be a rainforest at the party

Skin will be flawless and glowing at the party

Branches will gently caress faces at the party

Armpits will be smooth at the party

French tip manicures will rule the party

There will be lasers at the party

Lots of lasers at the party

So many lasers at the party

There will be a lagoon at the party

So. Many. Lasers. At. The. Party.

There will be a dance party at the party

Get this: There will be lasers at the party

Skin will be made out of diamonds at the party

The diamond skin will sparkle and sparkle at the party

Pores will be full of diamonds (not acne gunk!) at the party

Lots o’ laughs at the party

Everyone will know how to partner dance at the party

The countdown will be dramatic like this at the party:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

When the New Year hits...

...there will be a blackout at the party (Y2K!!!!)

And the lights will come back on at the party

The countdown clock will shoot laser boomerangs at the party

LAAAAAAASERS PARTAAAAAAY

Bottles will pop at the party

Water cannons will shoot water at only the highest of pressures at the party

There will be a waterfall at the party

[Passes out due to laser overload]

Images: JenniferLopezVEVO/YouTube (29)