A Simple Welcome to 2015

Out with the old... in with the new!

We have a few traditions when it comes to New Year's Eve.  They include:

• staying in with our kids
• eating some of our favorite appetizers and snacks
• watching movies
• watching the ball drop, and counting down the seconds till the new year with a glass of sparkling non-alcoholic white grape juice in-hand
• sweeping the front door open to let the old year out, and the new year in

The last is our most recent tradition, and is just a little something I read about.  [I wrote about it HERE.]  At the time (and still) it seemed so hugely symbolic to me... to let go of all that had been in hopes of something even greater to come.  This is not to say that anything in the previous year was particularly bad, it's just that you are freeing yourself from all of it, and moving unencumbered into the new year.

I don't mind telling you that it brings a tear to my eye every year.  On some level, I feel like my family is laughing at me as I sweep the door open, but I think that secretly they all "get" it, and are privately trapped in their own thoughts.  There is usually light chatter about the weather, depending on whether we are met with a bitter gust of wind, or a warm balmy night {One never knows in NEOh.}.  We don't go too deep with the thought process, still I think it's a good [if quirky] exercise.

Whatever your New Year's traditions, I pray that 2015 will be a year of blessings for you and yours.

Happy 2015!

p.s.  HERE'S an interesting list of things NOT to do in the new year!  Have a read...