This year, the only New Year resolution I plan to make is to jealously guard my relationships with family and friends and love on them until the day I can’t.
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“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called “Opportunity” and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce
It’s cold this evening, but I love the silence of the night. Winter skies over the garden and woods are sprinkled with stars. I often wonder how many others stood where I’m standing and watched the same stars.
In my research, I found lasting traditions to celebrate the beginning of a new year.
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Our property use to be the summer holding grounds for the local Native American tribes awaiting the arrival of the salmon runs. But I’m told they left several members here through the winter time. It seems they gathered together to pass on sacred traditions and oral history in a potlatch that began Dec. 20th and followed through the New Year. In my research, I found lasting traditions to celebrate the beginning of a new year.
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*Wales – At Midnight, with family and friends gathered together, the back door is opened and shut to chase the old year out. Then the New Year is invited in by opening the front door.
*Haiti- Family and friends dress in their very best and gather to exchange gifts hoping their blessings will assure a great year.
*Sicily- An old Sicilian tradition says good luck arrives to the family and friends who eat lasagna together on New Year’s Day.
*Spain – At the stroke of midnight, with each stroke, they gathered to eat 12 grapes to bring good luck for the coming year.
*Greece- A coin is hidden in traditional bread baked for the family dinner. The first slice is set aside for the Christ child, the second for the father of the house and if the third slice holds the coin, there will be an early spring that year.
*China- Front doors are painted red symbolizing happiness and good luck.
*Norway-Norwegians make rice pudding and hide an almond in it. At midnight, family gathers to share the dessert. The person who has the almond in their pudding is guaranteed wealth that year.
*United States- At midnight, the mask chases away the evil from the past year, and the kiss purifies the New Year.
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Our hopes are that they remember we are family; a family that stays together through every celebration.
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It’s fun to keep traditions alive, they are part of who we are and what we pass on to those behind us. But if you look back over all the traditions, you’ll notice each of them is shared with family and friends. It isn’t necessarily the traditions that bring a year of blessings, but the people you share them with that brings riches and richness to our lives.
Do you know why the Native Americans left several members behind? It was to allow the older tribe members the opportunity to teach the younger members how to gather the sacred celery roots and huckleberries for the New Year feast. And in the process of preparing for a large family gathering, traditions and lessons of life were passed on.
Our children are grown and busy in their lives. But we pray they remember the nights out here in the garden laying in the hammock staring at the stars. Our hopes are that they remember we are family; a family that stays together through every celebration, heartache, new birth, loss, success and failure. That family is a state of sharing not always dictated by the same bloodline. We hope they learned that traditions are the glue that helps define who we are and that missing out on family and friends robs us all of a richness for life given to them by God and is irreplaceable. I’m thankful that they have embraced these lessons and know who they are because of our nutty, loving family. And that the generation gaps are easily filled if we all reach toward one another.
This year, the only New Year resolution I plan to make is to jealously guard my relationships with family and friends and love on them until the day I can’t.
“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Families aren’t created strong. It takes hard work and guidance from parents. Dads build the castle walls, Moms decide when the drawbridge must be lifted to allow the warriors rest. I invest in families. Between a Rock and a Teenager (Tips for Teens on her website and her book arriving Jan 10th) helps parents equip their teens for real-life. Sign up for her newsletter for hands-on family tips. I’m Pamala J Vincent, an author, trainer, and speaker. Find me at http://www.pamalajvincent.com and social media.
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Photo: Flickr/ Peter Thoeny – Quality HDR