December 31 at 11:59 pm. 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – Happy New Year!
Over the years, celebrating New Year’s Eve has changed. In my childhood, it was a rare occurrence when we dared stay up until midnight, even on New Year’s Eve. It was quietly celebrated at home – turning in at the regular bedtime hour – and waking to a chorus of “Happy New Year” from my loved ones.
As teens, we often gathered with our church’s youth group for a social event. I remember bundling up and heading out into the pitch black of night to enjoy a sleigh ride from my uncle’s team of Belgian horses. When asked about not using lights, my uncle would remind us that, “the horses knew the way”. The jingling of the bells on the horses, the sound of laughter and the crisp cold air are sensations that I will never forget. This sleigh ride was followed by steaming bowls of chilli and mugs of hot chocolate. What fun memories!
For me, family is always first. When my own children came along, we would gather at my parents’ home for an evening of fun, games, food and laughter. The cousins would often watch classic Disney videos from their Nan’s extensive collection, my dad would settle himself in front of the latest World Juniors hockey game and the rest of us would play games in the large farmhouse kitchen. Such laughter and joyous time spent together.
Jump ahead to the present day. We now have slightly altered our tradition when it comes to New Year’s Eve. At this point in our lives, my siblings and I don’t tend to flock with the night owls. We still love to gather for games and, of course, snacks – but the invitation comes with a promise that we can leave after 10pm, if we wish.
We don’t know exactly what the New Year holds in store for us, but I have the faith and life experience to know to count my blessings for every day that I am given. We all have much to be thankful for and I feel that’s a great way to start a new journey and a new year.
Disclaimer: My memories are my own and true as I remember them, but may differ from the recollections of others.
Leave a comment