Ringing in 2025
Weeks before Christmas, the children began to nudge about our annual gathering in the new year. Before we knew, plans for the holiday celebrations were rolling. Like advent, we began yet another eager countdown but this time to eat, sip and laugh the evening away with our favorite people.
For a split second, aligning with the desire to host our 3rd annual gathering was challenging. It comes on the heels of Christmas. As well as moments of melancholic reflection of time past and hope for times to come. Even the city has grown more quiet and still. My heart yearns to mimic the serene behavior of nature which has since shed its crumbs to the earth and lay bare in the wait of coming restoration. To retreat, reflect, and rest in the sacred bubble that is our home.
Yet our New Year’s gathering is the beautiful reminder that although intentional solitude is lovely, intentional connection is just as sweet.
I realized when saying yes to opening our home once more it wasn’t saying no to reflection or pausing a pursuit of soul rest. It was choosing to pay attention to new beginnings and allow ourselves to be replenished in the company of wonderful friends. Like pack animals cozy in their den but a little stir-crazy. When we gather it is playful and light, which is often needed for this old gal at the start of the year.
Dressed up and barefooted we decorate simply with green clippings and inflated balloons. As a team, we baked, drafted a playlist and set the tables making the preparation efforts smooth and easy.
As the photographs suggest, the evening went by like a blur.
One of my favorite additions this year was an ice breaker bowl at the front door. We asked our friends to help us keep the conversation flowing by tossing in an anonymous question or two for the group.
Wouldn’t you know it, we hardly got around to using them!
Instead we ended up asking each family a hand-picked question as they buttoned into their coats at the end of the evening. The unique questions were the perfect send off. They made their departures linger just a little bit longer, which we love, yet concluded our time together with still more merrymaking.