New Year’s Grammar Resolutions: Put the Apostrophe on a Diet

New Year’s is all about fresh starts, bold promises, and that one friend who insists this is the year they’ll finally love kale. It’s also peak season for grammar mishaps—especially involving the most misunderstood punctuation mark of all: the apostrophe.

So as the ball drops and the champagne pops, let’s resolve to treat our grammar a little better in the year ahead. Starting with the tiny curl that causes outsized chaos.

Resolution #1: Stop Abusing the Apostrophe 🥂

Let’s begin with the classic offender:

“Happy New Year’s!”

Unless you are wishing someone happiness for the year belonging to New, this apostrophe has overstayed its welcome.

Correct:
✔️ Happy New Year!

No apostrophe. Ever. This is a statement, not a possession. The year owns nothing. It can barely handle January.

Resolution #2: Know When the Apostrophe Does Belong

Now for the plot twist: sometimes New Year does deserve an apostrophe.

• New Year’s Eve → The eve of the New Year

• New Year’s Day → The day of the New Year

Here, the apostrophe is doing real work—showing possession. Applaud politely and move on.

Resolution #3: Don’t Pluralize with Apostrophes (Please, We’re Begging)

New Year’s signs love this one:

❌ Ring in the 2020’s!
❌ Cheers to new beginning’s!

Apostrophes do not make things plural. They never have. They never will. This isn’t a new rule—it’s just one people keep ghosting.

Correct:
✔️ Ring in the 2020s!
✔️ Cheers to new beginnings!

If you feel the urge to add an apostrophe, pause. Sip water. Step away from the keyboard.

Resolution #4: Capitalization Isn’t a Party Trick

Capitalize when the holiday is acting like a proper noun:

• ✔️ We’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party.

• ❌ My new year’s resolution is to sleep more.

When you’re talking about the holiday itself, capitalize it. When you’re talking about resolutions in general, keep it lowercase—just like your expectations for February.

Resolution #5: Resolutions Don’t Need Quotes

You don’t need quotation marks around your goals unless you’re being ironic—or lying.

❌ My “resolution” is to exercise.
✔️ My resolution is to exercise.

Let the quotation marks go. Your gym membership already knows the truth.

A Grammar Toast to the Year Ahead

The New Year is a time for hope, clarity, and fewer rogue punctuation marks. You don’t have to be perfect—just intentional. Like ordering champagne instead of prosecco and pretending you planned it that way.

So here’s to cleaner sentences, calmer apostrophes, and a year where our grammar is just a little more put together than our sleep schedule.

Happy New Year. No apostrophe.