When, in the history of the United States, have people been more ready and willing to ring out the old year than this year, the year of COVID-19, of Trump vs. Biden, of distance learning, of business shutdowns and of social distancing and face masks, even with family at Thanksgiving and Christmas?

Well, we suppose the years during the nation’s wars were worse in many ways. And the Great Depression. But we have to say 2020 was a real stinker, one that no one will be sad to see go.

We can only hope for a better year ahead. But there are a lot of factors to be contended with before we can say that. COVID-19 is still out there, infecting and killing those who get in its way, even as we roll out vaccines to bring it under control.

The economy seems to be hanging on, but it will have to boom to make up for the jobs and the businesses that were lost last year.

We could hope for a new era of comparative political peace and tranquility, but President Donald Trump does not seem willing to “go gentle into that good night.” He is taking Dylan Thomas’s advice to “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” And his vast army of followers are raging right along with him. It will be a difficult transition for President-elect (yes, that’s what he is) Joe Biden.

But let us hope that things will improve. Let’s hope the vaccines will take effect, that restrictions against travel and large gatherings will be relaxed, that schools will be able to stay open, and maybe that people will be able to go out to a sporting event or play.

2021 will be as good or bad as we make it. Let’s all make a resolution to try to make it better than 2020.