Maybe it’s my longtime interest in self-development types of things or my Virgo sun, I don’t know, but I always get a little buzzy this time of year with the idea of starting with a clean slate—even, yes, knowing the calendar we follow is basically fake and the “new year,” it could be argued, starts with the winter solstice or the spring equinox (astrologically speaking anyway). I would argue that the Dec. 31/Jan. 1 transition does hold significance, if only because of the collective energy behind it.
My New Year’s traditions have become extensive over the years, as I keep adding more that I like. I don’t do everything on the list every year, but here are some ideas I pull from—for journaling, divination, and practices that mark the time. Maybe you will adopt one or two for yourself.
RITUAL BATH :: I’ve already mentioned my annual bath to clear out the old and bring in the new, a peaceful start to the new year. Salt baths preferred.
CARD PULL :: Use an oracle or tarot deck to pull a card for the year; a card for each month of the year; or three cards to symbolize 1) how you’re entering the year, 2) the theme of the year, and 3) how you’ll leave the year. You could also use a book—turn to a page at random, and read the first sentence/paragraph that jumps out at you.
PERSONAL YEAR NUMBER :: I’m not big on numerology but do notice a pattern over the years. To find your personal year number: Reduce your birth month to a single digit (for example, December is 12, so 1 + 2 = 3). Reduce your birth day to a single digit (for example, 15 is 1 + 5 = 6). Add these numbers to the Universal Year number for the current year (2025 is a universal 9 year).
READING OF THE GRATITUDE JAR :: At the end of each day throughout the year, jot down on a slip of paper one highlight of the day that brought you joy, one thing you’re so grateful for, and fold it and put it into a jar. At the end of the year, read some (or all!) of your notes and re-live your favorite memories, some of which are such small moments, you’ve probably forgotten all about them.
“INTO THE FIRE” :: This practice started one NYE when I was camping with a friend in Western Maryland. We’d built a fire, and sometime late in the evening, we went back and forth, listing all the things we were “throwing into the fire” from the past year, everything we wanted to release. Then we listed all the things we were bringing into the next year.
JOURNALING :: See below!
Journaling prompts for the new year (if you don’t like journaling, things to think about):
★ Mantra of the year / Intention of the year
★ The broad vision of 2025
★ Goal(s) of the year
★ LISTS: Trips you want to take, courses you want to take, hobbies to take up, people you want to reconnect with, places to go, projects to start or finish, etc.
★ Reflecting on 2024 …
★ What were the highlights?
★ What worked?
★ What didn’t work?
★ What blessings came?
★ What was so difficult?
★ What made a mark on me?
★ What can I be grateful for?
★ What did I learn?
★ What do I want to leave behind?
★ What kind of experiences do I want to have in 2025?
★ How do I grow myself into the type of person who can have those experiences?