I no longer say “Happy New Year!” to anyone unless they say it first to me.
Too many people are directly suffering, especially people in your sister’s situation.
And beyond that, the world itself is not on a good trajectory. We are barreling towards a cliff. All of us.
There is nothing inherently good about the passage of time.
When dealing with someone who is probably dying, I find it best to just ask “How are you? And I mean really how are you? You don’t have to sugarcoat anything. I really want to know.”
I do think the New Year’s song Auld Lang Syne (Old Long Since) is beautiful though:
We two have run about the hills,
and picked the daisies fine
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot
since auld lang syne.
I’m sorry your sister is going through that :(