What is a new year ceremony?
There are many different ways to think about a new year. Whether it's a calendar year, a school year, a cultural or spiritual year, or a birthday or anniversary, it can be powerful to honour the end of one thing while marking the beginning of another. It can be done privately or with great fanfare, or a combination of both.
Why are new year ceremonies important?
The best new year ceremonies involve a combination of personal reflection and community celebration. It usually involves acknowledgment, gratitude, and letting go...and sometimes sitting in the unknown. These ceremonies are important because it helps us mark the passing of time and not get weighed down by history or anticipation.
How do you create a new year ceremony?
Create a structure that you can repeat and follow each year or cycle. The repetition helps us identify and let go of things that might be holding us back, while also welcoming in new opportunities. Ideally the new year is not about analyzing our deficiencies but about celebrating where we’ve come from and what fill us up. It’s an opportunity for growth.
New year inspiration
Learn about all the different ways you can mark a new year! Join us and you’ll receive ceremony guides for all of the ways we celebrate a new year, and you’ll hear from people who are bringing ceremony into their lives in various ways.
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is the perfect time to do an inventory of the year gone by and the year to come. You can set some intentions or create a vision board, or simply focus on a word or feeling you want to foster.
Chinese New Year
Chinese new year marks the start of the lunar new year, when there's a new moon. People welcome new beginnings and fresh starts, and use food to give thanks for a good planting and harvest season.
Birthday
When you're a kid, birthdays are often equated with having more freedom. When you get older, birthdays tend to be downplayed, as responsibilities loom. Find a way to create and celebrate freedom!