If you’re reading this, let me start by congratulating you for making it through 2020. According to data scientists at the University of Vermont who studied social media data dating back to 2008, this year was indeed the worst of the last 12 years. I’m not going to rehash all the reasons why because we’re all still living it in real time, but I do want to know: What are you doing to send this year off and ring in what we hope is a brighter 2021?
In our house, we’ve traditionally had a New Year’s Eve party with delectable treats, a big crowd, and plenty of cheer. Obviously that’s on pause this year. We’re going to have a masked board game night with one couple who have been in isolation for all of December.
We’ll be enjoying a lasagna with fresh pasta sheets, Ina Garten’s Outrageous Garlic Bread, and Samin Nosrat’s caesar salad from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.
I’m even going to wear jeans, or as we call them now, hard pants.
I had serious doubts we would even end up making it to midnight, but we’ve decided to slug it out together so we can see this year off once and for all.
via GIPHY
I considered a sage burning ceremony, but I’ll leave that to the Native communities. I’m not sending 2020 off with cultural appropriation! But I do think this calls for some sort of cleansing ceremony. We are considering a “burning bowl” where you write down the worst of 2020 and burn it once and for all, leaving it behind. Unity has more information on burning bowls and the concept of using them to let go. Will this do anything to ease the pain and anxiety of 2020? Perhaps not, but it certainly can’t hurt.
So that’s our plan for tonight. Are you staying home in pajamas? Will you make it until midnight to ring in a hopefully brighter year?
Tomorrow we begin anew. And I’m hopeful for a brighter day.