The Best New Year Tradition

Years ago I attended a New Year’s Eve party with a friend’s family. Upon entering the house, there was a table set up with slips of paper and pencils. Every guest was asked to take a slip of paper and write on it one thing they want to let go of from the past year.

The goal was to pick one thing that was holding you back and write it down. Then, shortly before midnight we all brought our slips of paper out into the cold and stood around a fire pit set in the driveway. On the count of three, we all dropped our papers into the fire, symbolically letting go of whatever it was that was holding us back before the start of the new year.

Then we counted down to the new year, exchanged our traditional hugs and kisses and sang the beloved Auld Lang Syne. Every January 1 offers the ability to start fresh. What are you going to let go of prior to the new year? What will you no longer allow to hold you back?

- Stephanie Kohl, Marketing Specialist

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

‘Tis the season to be jolly, fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la! It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

This is my favorite time of the year. I love getting together with family and friends (even if it looks a little different this year), shopping for and wrapping Christmas gifts, baking holiday goodies to share, listening to Christmas music, and watching Christmas movies. I love the joy people seem to genuinely feel this time of year, as we’re reminded of all the good we have in our lives.

This Christmas season has been exceptionally wonderful as I have an almost three-year-old son. Anyone with a child knows what a great age this is for Christmas. He is so happy, and so excited for Santa. To see his eyes light up when he looks at the Christmas tree, or checks out the twinkling lights hanging from houses as we drive around, makes my eyes well-up (I’m sentimental and emotional, it happens). He is so excited to unwrap and read a new Christmas book each night (a tradition we started last year), and he can’t stop talking about leaving cookies and milk for Santa. I’m glad that this seems to be the year he’ll start unwrapping his own gifts.

And right on the heels of Christmas is the New Year. A new year means a clean slate, a fresh calendar/planner, new beginnings. I personally love the “restart” the new year offers. I’m a big fan of resolutions and really took some time to think about what I wanted to achieve in 2021. Unfortunately, 2020 didn’t go exactly as planned, but you know make plans, God laughs. Luckily, the new year (and beyond) can be anything we want it to be. The truth is, we can all make our lives be whatever we want them to be, if we can only find the courage. I, for one, am choosing courage.

- Stephanie Kohl, Marketing