Welcoming The New Year

Sitting here on the day of the eve, wondering what is coming in the new year, looking forward to new adventures, friendships, and beginnings.

On today's agenda is cleaning house, washing bedding, and doing laundry. Is considered bad luck to do this tomorrow, on new year's day or you risk bad luck, or worse. So, I am doing my part to keep the luck inside the house by starting the new year with fresh bedding and clean floors.

Am I superstitious? Well, maybe a little bit, but mostly, I just really enjoy rituals and traditions. Here are some traditions that you might like to see the old year out and usher in the new. Chose any and all that suit(s) you! If nothing else, they are super fun.

1. Resolution - we all know this one! Are you making one? I am and have already started, it is a many fold one towards better health.

Not a fan of resolutions? Here are some other new year's traditions that I think are lovely... and hey, who says you need to do just one thing? I do many of these!

2. Pick a word of the year. Just one word that sums up what you want the year ahead to look like and to be.

You might choose mindfulness or intent, charity, or simplify, self-love, growth, or maybe grace or strength. Just one word that helps you set a goal or aim for your year. Mine is 'Believe'. To believe in myself, to believe that all will be well with the new start... or maybe it should be 'Courage' ; ) Both are good, strong, appropriate words.

3. Similar to picking a word is a New Year's Intention. A positive vision for the year ahead that is broader than a resolution.

Resolutions are more specific while with an intention, you can set your vision with a moodboard for the year, or a mantra. Something like 'Let it go' or "Find joy in the everyday', or maybe 'See goodness around me'. What about 'Find beauty in your day', 'Be mindful' or 'Lead by example'. Going by my chosen word(s) above, I guess that would make my mantra 'Go forth with faith and courage'.

4. Burning Bowl Ritual. Or, maybe you prefer to shed yourself of the bad year to welcome in the new year? I like this one, it involves fire ; )

Write down on a slip of paper what you want to rid yourself of from the year 2022 and a wish for what you want the new year ahead to bring. Light a candle in a bowl, or gather around a firepit outdoors. As you watch the paper burn, visualize your unwanted thoughts rising up in the smoke, being released from you. Allow yourself to experience whatever you are feeling: fear, anxiety, sadness, loss, gratitude, and let those feelings lift as the slip burns. I did this last year and will be doing it again this evening. Last year, my slips were short so burnt quickly, so this year I will make them longer to make it more lasting and satisfying ; )

5. Smudging the house - Cleanse the house of all energy to create a new and welcoming environment for the new year.

I have several smudges that I can use but have decided to use the one you see in the picture above that was locally made with cedar, lemon balm, sage, and lavender to purify, connect, cleanse, and heal, plus mint for happiness. Sounds like the perfect combination for tonight. Some say to open the windows as you do this to allow the energy to escape, which kind of fits in with one of the other traditions you can read about below. You can say a mantra at the same time, if you wish. Am I a bit hippy dippy and crazy? Yep, maybe a bit ; )

6. Lighting a candle - there are many traditions that revolve around lighting candles on the eve, depending on your religion or culture. In my family, we always light a candle to remember and honour deceased family members. We use a nice, big candle that will burn for many hours, or even days.

Here are some more fun ideas that you might want to incorporate into your new year's eve....

Open all the doors and windows to let the old year out of the house allowing the new year to enter unimpeded.

Some people say you should wear red underwear to find love or yellow to increase your wealth.

After midnight, grab your luggage and take it for a stroll around the block for more chances to travel in the new year.

Sweep the bad energy out of your house. Make sure to clean the floors, the shelves, and the closets before midnight on New Year's Eve.

Eat 12 grapes, one for every month of the year, eat them for good luck as the clock counts down to midnight.

Wear polka dots for good luck in the new year.

Kiss a loved one. They say that the first person you come into contact with in the new year dictates your destiny. See below for something similar.

Hang bundles of onions at your front door to invite personal growth and rebirth in the New Year.

According to Greek tradition the first person to enter a house on New Year’s Day brings either good luck or bad luck to the household. After this special guest is chosen, the home owners need to step on something made out of iron so that the family will be as strong as iron throughout the new year.

The Irish bang bread on the walls of their homes to chase any bad spirits out of the home and start the new year off with a clean slate.

From Pretend Magazine.

I didn't used to do much to welcome in the new year but starting doing several of these things because of the pandemic. I really felt that all that bad luck and energy had to leave the house so that I could start afresh in the new year. It might not do anything but it sure makes me feel better, and that is the main thing.

I won't be up at midnight as I am too old and tired for that, but the new year will be welcomed with a little bit of retrospection, a clean house (just in case), and a whole lot of hope for what is yet to come.

Whatever you do, even if nothing at all, I wish you much health, happiness, and prosperity in 2023 ~ Tanja