A NEW New Year's Eve Rite

I learned a new rite of passage for New Year's Eve last night that I'd like to share. Even if you're not a pagan, you can adapt it, if you like it, to suit your lifestyle. I just thought it was really neat!

So, at a couple of minutes before midnight, you open a bottle...If you don't consume alcohol in your home, no problem, open a bottle of something you do consume!

You open your back door, and you KICK OUT the old year! "Go on - GIT!"

But we did learn things this past year...so, in thanks, we offer a libation to the old year by pouring some of the contents of that bottle out on the ground. How much you pour is up to you...be guided by your senses, your instinct.

Then you close the door on the old year.

You go to the front door, and you open it wide, and welcome in the New Year. "Welcome! Come in!" You pour a glass for the New Year, and you set it down somewhere in a place of honor. (Out of reach of children, dogs, cats, etc.) You close the door, and if there's anything left in that bottle you can share it with whomever is up with you. But that glass for the New Year is left in its place of honor till the dawn light has come through the windows.

Isn't that cool? Oh, I should mention, this isn't new per se - it's a Germanic custom. It's new for me, and about to become my standard greeting for the New Year.

And I hope everyone reading this has a great, happy, healthy 2017.