Happy New Year? Still?

I was in the grocery store last night when I bumped into someone that I hadn't seen in a while. We exchanged small talk for just a little bit in front of the broccoli in the produce section. Then, she dropped the bomb.

"Happy New Year," she said as she wheeled away her cart.

Happy New Year? Really? Good Lord, enough with the Happy New Year business already.

Granted, I'm not a fan of New Year's Day to begin with. I think it's the dumbest holiday on the calendar. "I'm so glad 2019 is over...hoping for a better 2020," I see people write on their Facebook posts. As if flipping the calendar to a new number is going to make a difference with anything but the depreciation of your car.

Putting my bias and negative attitude about New Year's aside, I have to wonder whether three weeks into January is too late to be saying "Happy New Year" to people. If you're still cool with Happy New Year greetings three weeks into the year, at what point does it become too much? Four weeks? Six weeks?

Was it the first time I saw her since the New Year? Yes, I'm pretty sure it was. If you haven't seen someone since December, however, and you see them in March, do you still drop a "Happy New Year" before your "Happy St. Patrick's Day?" If not, why not?

I can deal with a "Happy New Year" the week after people get back to work. I'll even grant the following week just to avoid being labeled a grump. But "Happy New Year" on January 21?

I can't have it. I won't have it.