Unlike many couples, we didn’t go out for a holiday dinner and toast the new year with champagne. My husband worked for the post office and was scheduled to work on New year day to do maintenance on the sorting machines.
We went to bed early so John could get to work by 6:30. But there was a celebration in our home every New Year’s eve.
For many years, my daughter had a sleepover with several of her friends. They would bring snacks, games and movies to watch. They all wanted to stay up to watch the ball fall in New York City.
Ruth’s Grandma, Helen, was in charge of the festivities. She distributed sparkling non-alcoholic juice, noise-makers, silly string and confetti poppers. One year, toilet paper rolls were given to tepee the trees and shrubs around our yard.
The girls and Grandma got little sleep that night. As they had welcomed in the new year.
John and I woke to find the house and yard littered with the celebration . Grandma was asleep on the couch and the girls were nestled in their sleeping bags in the family room.
Before the girls were picked up by their parents, they willingly helped to clean up the litter.
The new year sleepover was a tradition for many years. Now this year, we will have a different celebration. We will talk by the fireplace and recall past New Year’s eves and recall people no longer in your lives. Memories and hope will be central to welcoming the new year this year.
Carol Farnsworth
carolfarn@aol.com
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A waining moon, heralds the end of the year.
Stars twinkle , their light reflected on the hanging toilet paper.
The celebrates sleep , exhausted from the night’s activities.
All is quiet as we sip our coffee in bed.
Smiling we kiss and wish each other a Happy New Year.
copyright 12/31/2020
traveling up and down the blind highway 