They might not last but New Year's resolutions are a timeworn tradition - here's what our readers are planning for 2025
Nearly all of us have made a New Year's resolution - but it's worth a bet barely anyone has stuck to them.
The timeworn tradition of new year's resolutions can span a host of goods and evils - from cutting out takeaways to finally taking the plunge into a new job.
While they are often talked about, whether they last long into the new year is another matter.
As 2025 rolled around the Shropshire Star quizzed its readers on their pledges for the coming 12 months - although given we're already a few days into January, there's a chance some of these are in the bin already.
Predictably the responses varied from the light-hearted to the serious, and from straightforward to serious challenges.
Responding to the Shropshire Star's Facebook post there were a host of suggestions, including the familiar aspirations to 'lose weight' and 'drink less' - although 'stop smoking' was conspicuously absent, maybe a reflection of modern times. Perhaps in coming years people will be 'giving up vaping' as part of their resolutions instead.
Anyway, Nick Maiden surely claims the award for the most unique - and good-tempered - resolution, saying he plans to "listen to scammers for longer on my unwanted calls".
Speaking for almost no-one else, Nick said: "Everyone deserves a chance in life! Now I give them a full minute rather than an abrupt short 30 seconds."
Andy Tenere's suggestion will be one echoing in homes across the country, saying he plans to "take out of the box, and use, the air fryer that I bought 12 months ago".
That ties in with ambitions from Sarah Aked who speaks for most of a nation - certainly some of us - when she said: "Not to buy takeouts and start cooking."
Chris Vaughan offered a sensible resolution we can all hope for, with plans to "stay standing and don't break any bones".
Sarah-Marie Bailey's resolution is one that a number of people certainly don't have a problem with, but she's planning "to say what I’m thinking, instead of keeping my mouth shut".
Mark Jones can be applauded for his aspirations to pass his HGV driving tests and finish his story - good luck on both!
In a reference to what I am sure was other media, Stephen Duce pledged to "avoid clickbait" and although I smelt a rat with Jim Cartwright's suggestion, here's wishing him all the best after he said: "My new year's resolution is to stop using spray deodorant. So... roll on next year."
Eddie Thomas spoke for the true purpose of social media with his plan to "be more grumpy and give more abuse on FB", but the last word surely goes to Thomas Perry who said: "Who cares? We all break them after a couple of days."
