South Islanders saw in the New Year with a collective thought: Good riddance 2022 and please can this year be better.
At this year's celebrations, there were no lockdowns, capacity limits, mandates, or border closures - but it won't potentially all be smooth sailing.
A clear and balmy New Year's Eve helped South Islanders get in the mood for a party.
Young and old were dancing in Wānaka, Christchurch, and at a sell-out Rhythm and Alps in the stunning Central Otago valley.
"The last two years there's been a lot of segregation and everyone's had an opinion on how things should go," said Rhythm and Alps founder and director Alex Turnbull. "So this year we're kind of back to normal and it's a big relief."
And to be "kind of" back to normal was a number one hope of many for the year ahead.
"Touch wood [2023 will be more normal]," singer Marlon Williams said. "We'll get used to the abnormalities of this world and hopefully nothing too crazy or new to deal with."
On a lot of people's minds was a COVID-19-free 2023.
"It would be nice to have less restrictions," one person told Newshub.
"Freedom to travel," said another.
There are a few other hopes and dreams on the side too.
"We got engaged today, this morning, woohoo!" one person said.
"I'm going to teachers' college," another said.
"2023 is going to be the greatest year in existence," a third said.
As the sun set on 2022, the cheeky party people came out. While New Zealand might be in a third wave of COVID-19 infections, given this is the first time in a while these festivals have been able to go ahead without mandates or restrictions, most of the people there were seemingly saying, "COVID, what COVID".
Then came midnight, where Rhythm and Alps, Christchurch, Queenstown, and more celebrated the start of 2023 with fireworks.
That's when the party really got started. The streets had no shame - or room to move.
But while this year Kiwis collectively hoped for less COVID-19 and more normality, it's unlikely we can ward off a recession.
