Happy 2024

Another new year is soon upon us. for many not soon enough.  It may seem that in 2023 life was static or went backwards for it has been a year of huge challenges and suffering of the innocent, whether created by ourselves or natural phenomena ever spiralling out of control . Yet each of us had small triumphs over adversity and moments of joy and illumination when the jigsaw of existence suddenly slotted into place and it all seemed worthwhile . 

We cannot change the world single-handed, but our New Year’s resolution perhaps should focus not to be slimmer, more popular, successful or richer, but to  spread joy, in small but significant ways, to all we encounter: a smile to someone who looks sad as we are dashing by, asking how are you and waiting for an answer, assisting someone who is struggling, even if it delays us by a few minutes that in the cosmic time scale is an eye blink: paying a compliment. not to the visually perfect or a social media ideal but to someone who has made an effort to look good but clearly is self-conscious.

 Each day of 2024 we can make ourselves and others happy in the smallest of ways that grow, radiate and replace cynicism and disillusion with kindness and optimism  whether  to complete strangers or people we know and love or those from whom we are estranged. If we don’t have the strength to go that additional mile, even a centimeter is progress. Then by 2025 after just a single positive interaction each day, a kindness, praise or thanks, the sunbeam of goodness  will grow and radiate if not round the world, at least in our corner we make our home.  

Below are a few New Years rituals that can help bring those lovely energies in to your life. 

• On New Year’s Eve, clear out all your old clutter, dust away any cobwebs and sweep last year’s luck out of the front door. Put all rubbish outside before midnight.

• Clocks should be wound up or batteries replaced at midnight on New Year’s Eve so that there will be good fortune all the year.

• On New Year’s  morning or when you leave the party, dance around the nearest tree or bush twelve times clockwise (counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere), naming a month and a wish for each circuit. You will then have happiness, luck and prosperity all the coming year.

• On New Year’s morning also  drink a glass of water from a bubbling tap, (traditionally a spring), eat a small piece of your favourite food and bury three coins so you will have enough food, drink and money throughout the year.

• You should not sweep dirt out of the door on New Year’s Day or let anything be taken out of the house or your luck will leave. Nor should you wash any clothes in case you wash your good fortune away.

•  Make sure you are laughing at midnight on New Year’s Eve, as what you are doing when the year turns will influence your happiness and moods for the year ahead.

• Finally, here are two New Year games to share with friends and family

A New Year’s Eve calendar ritual to bring a good year ahead

You will need 

A large dark-colored candle

A white candle

A pot of soil or sand

A single sheet calendar of the current year with large squares marking the days.

A red pen

A ball of red wool

Timing

Fifteen minutes before midnight.

The Spell:

• If alone write in any square a disaster you would sooner forget.

• If family/friends are joining in, they can choose a square for what they wish to consign to the past.

• Light the dark candle and tie up the calendar using nine knots.

• Tear a small corner off the calendar, holding it in the dark candle flame till it singes.

• Drop the burning paper into the pot, saying nine times Old year turn, Old year burn, Bad luck, do not return.

• Rip up the rest of the calendar, throwing it likewise in the pot and put the pot outside the door in a safe place before midnight to complete the burning.

• At two minutes to midnight light the white candle from the dark one.

• On the first stroke of midnight, blow out the black candle and shout, Come in New Year. You are welcome

• Have a new calendar ready to put on the wall when the New Year has entered.

A First Footing ritual to bring good new year luck and prosperity into your home

You will need

A copper, silver and gold-colored coin

Wrapped sweets, dried fruits and nuts

Dried basil, juniper berries, sage or thyme

Coal or wood

A large bowl of water

A drawstring bag

Small crystals or glass nuggets

Timing

Before midnight

The Spell:

• Five minutes before midnight send the person chosen as First Footer outside the front door with the items except the crystals in the bag.

• At midnight all shout, Come in, New Year. New Year, you are welcome, rattling pans etc.

• The First Footer enters, shuts the door and goes out of the back door (if there is one) or out of the front door again, saying: Out you go, Old Year. Your time is past.

• The First Footer comes back in, slams the door, walks upstairs to the top of the house and down again, shouting Happy New Year.  

• She/he deposits the bag on the hearth or in front of a burning white candle.

• All toast the new year and drop crystals into the bowl making New Year wishes

May your resolutions bring happiness and fulfilment and the luck of the New Year be with you.

New Year’s Eve can be the loneliest and bleakest of times if we spend it alone or perhaps are in no mood to echo empty joy spilling from others’ circles of celebration, because of a year of loss, hardship, illness, worry, betrayal, isolation or those we love are far away or no longer in this world.  If so, use the out-flowing of the Old Year’s tide to let go of sorrow, grief or resentment and reach out for new energies and the dawning of the light, in pure blind trust if belief and hope have faded too.

You will need

A large red candle

Dried sage or rosemary

Paper and a blue pen

Timing

New Year’s Eve as the year turns

The Spell

• Light the candle saying, This is the time of the year for the old fires to die and new ones be kindled that life may blaze anew.

• Sprinkle just a few grains of herb into the flame saying, There are no regrets for the death of the old year, for the new must return and burn bright with the end of sorrow and fear.

• Name sorrows, anger, grief, pain or regrets you are consigning to the flame.

• Extinguish the candle just before midnight and then relight it as the New Year begins, saying, From the old comes new, and from loss new growth. At the year’s turning, there shall be no more yearning, for past triumphs or disaster are  now all the same and so I name and claim my future dreams.

• Write down everything you hope for, however small or seemingly impossible and scatter the remaining herbs on top of the paper, setting the paper in front of the candle.

• Leave the candle to burn down. and the paper in place for a full day and night cycle, lighting a new candle on the night of January 1.

• On January 2 as early as you can in the morning, carry the paper outdoors and tip the herbs on the ground.

• Keep your list and each time you attain a goal, put a tick by it so next year on New Year’s Eve you may indeed have cause for celebration.

Happy New Year to all my friends, customers and family across the world.