One of my favorite traditions with my girls as they were growing up was writing notes about things that were happening in our lives and putting them in a jar that we would open on New Year's Eve.
Throughout the year each of us would write notes and put them in the jar. We would each usually write about one a month, sometimes more and it was always fun to see the jar getting stuffed full over the year!
The notes were just a reminder of something that happened or how we were feeling. Most of the notes were kind and loving, "I was so proud of you today when you...." or "I love how kind you were to your friend today when....." But occasionally this was a good place for a rant with notes like "I hate you Mom"! We would also put the date on it to help remember what was happening at the time of the note.
The important part was that no one read the notes until we opened the jar on New Years Eve. We would have a special ceremony of sorts where we lit candles and ate some special food and then would empty the jar on the table. Each of us would take turns picking a note from the pile and reading it. This would often lead to some great laughs and reminiscing about the year. Those angry notes we laughed at and we felt grateful for the kind notes!
After all the notes were read we would read our goals which we had written the previous year, and put in the jar. This was a chance to see how we did with our goals and a great opportunity to talk about goals and the things we wanted to accomplish in the next year. When we were all finished we would each take a note card and write our new goals for the upcoming year.
It was an important tradition for us until the girls were no longer at home much and life had seemed to have moved on. It's been many years now but I think I will get out a jar for my partner and I to put notes in and maybe my daughters will write too when they are home! It will be fun to see how the year goes and have a nice way to reflect back over the year!
So get a jar, a can or really any kind of container that works for you. I used a mason jar because I had one and it was easy. We put it in an out of the way, yet easy to reach place so we wouldn't forget about it. Write occasionally and keep writing them throughout the year for the most fun on New Year's Eve!
So begin today to prepare for 2013's New Year's Eve!
Throughout the year each of us would write notes and put them in the jar. We would each usually write about one a month, sometimes more and it was always fun to see the jar getting stuffed full over the year!
The notes were just a reminder of something that happened or how we were feeling. Most of the notes were kind and loving, "I was so proud of you today when you...." or "I love how kind you were to your friend today when....." But occasionally this was a good place for a rant with notes like "I hate you Mom"! We would also put the date on it to help remember what was happening at the time of the note.
The important part was that no one read the notes until we opened the jar on New Years Eve. We would have a special ceremony of sorts where we lit candles and ate some special food and then would empty the jar on the table. Each of us would take turns picking a note from the pile and reading it. This would often lead to some great laughs and reminiscing about the year. Those angry notes we laughed at and we felt grateful for the kind notes!
After all the notes were read we would read our goals which we had written the previous year, and put in the jar. This was a chance to see how we did with our goals and a great opportunity to talk about goals and the things we wanted to accomplish in the next year. When we were all finished we would each take a note card and write our new goals for the upcoming year.
It was an important tradition for us until the girls were no longer at home much and life had seemed to have moved on. It's been many years now but I think I will get out a jar for my partner and I to put notes in and maybe my daughters will write too when they are home! It will be fun to see how the year goes and have a nice way to reflect back over the year!
So get a jar, a can or really any kind of container that works for you. I used a mason jar because I had one and it was easy. We put it in an out of the way, yet easy to reach place so we wouldn't forget about it. Write occasionally and keep writing them throughout the year for the most fun on New Year's Eve!
So begin today to prepare for 2013's New Year's Eve!
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