Ringing in 2013
December 24, 2021
Ottawa Journal (December 24 – December 28, 2021)
New Year’s is an exciting time, as it symbolizes the end of one year and the beginning of another. It’s a time for fresh starts, optimism, hope, and joy. It’s also a time for celebrations to help ring in the New Year. There are many ways to do this and many of us have our favourite traditions, but here are some ideas if you’re looking for a new way to ring in 2013.
One way to ring in the New Year is to host a potluck with family and friends. This could be done on New Year’s Eve or on New Year’s Day. If you’re trying to avoid a late night on New Year’s Eve, but still want to celebrate on that day, host the potluck at lunchtime instead and ask everyone to bring their favourite dish. You can then share resolutions and relax together.
Resolutions are always a large part of New Year’s, but also leaving bad habits and memories from the previous year behind can be a part of your New Year’s celebrations. If you’re hosting family and friends over the holiday, you could provide each guest with a piece of paper and a pen and then invite them to write down a bad habit or memory they wish to leave behind with 2012. You can then ask each guest to come forward, throw the piece of paper into a garbage can or into the fireplace, to symbolize leaving that habit or memory behind. Once everyone is finished, you can give everyone a new piece of paper for them to write down a resolution and then place it an envelope to be stored until the next New Year’s Eve.
Another fun and creative way of celebrating New Year’s with your family is to create a New Year’s time capsule. Have everyone in your family gather various items including: photos; newspaper clippings of significant events from the year; letter(s) to your child(ren); letter(s) from your child(ren) to you; artwork; ticket stubs from concert/play programs and movies; etc…. You can also add some resolutions to the collection. Once the capsule has been completed, determine a time (the following New Year’s Day) when it will be opened together as a group.
You can also include your children in New Year’s Eve celebrations by sharing your childhood memories and traditions with them. This can be done by preparing your favourite childhood dishes, talking about what was going on in the world when you were their ages, and playing music from that time. For entertainment, you can play board games from your own childhood.
Another way to celebrate New Year’s as a family is to attend a community event together. Here in Dufferin-Caledon, the Town of Orangeville will be hosting its annual “First Night” celebration on New Year’s Eve from 6:00 p.m. 10:30 p.m. at the Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre. It includes: horse-drawn wagon rides; free swimming and skating; a Much Video Dance; face painting; a caricaturist; a rock climbing wall; children’s crafts; fireworks; amusement rides; and much more. For more information, please visit the Town of Orangeville’s website at www.orangeville.ca.
No matter how you and your loved ones ring in 2013, I sincerely wish you a very healthy and Happy New Year!