The answer is "C".I look forward to winter Solstice every year because, not only does it mark the commencement of longer days, I get to celebrate it with two of my dearest friends E and J. I don't remember when it started but they've been getting together with Brooks and I around December 21st for several years now. There's a part of our get-together where we toss an evergreen twig into the [imagined yule log] fire to symbolize the death of the dark season. I love this. Since we were not able to celebrate Solstice last December, I just had to find a substitute for this tradition.
So I improvised one on New Year's Day.
Since Brooks and I fizzled on ushering in the new year (we went to bed early), I felt like doing something special the morning of January 1st. I made some coconut crepes, Brooks whipped up a "2009" stencil and we set the table with our holiday goblets and candlesticks (note the baby Jesus nestled in among candlestick bases, courtesy of the boys). After we ate, I passed around pieces of paper for everyone to write down things from the previous year that they wanted to forget or release: bad memories, mistakes, old habits, negative energy, etc. The boys got excited and quickly began scribbling down their selections.
"Do we have to read these out loud?" Brahm wanted to know.
"Nope. They're just for you to know."
When we were ready I explained that now we would take turns lighting the papers on fire from the candles and dropping them into a prepared bowl below to watch them burn. Well, you would have thought I had announced candy as the menu for the next week by the way their faces lit up. Watching his burn, Brahm said, "I think I like this tradition." Well, of course you do. Little boys and pyromania have gone hand in hand for centuries.
After we had completed our turns we then passed around clean sheets of paper to write down things we wanted for the new year. They didn't necessarily have to be resolutions. They could be hopes, new friends or memories to make, new things to try or learn, etc. These papers we then sealed up in a jar to read at the end of the year or to possibly burn (or not) depending on how they turn out (or don't!).
