How Do You Let Old Year Out and New Year In?

I was reading my All Spice Blog from a store I like to get my spices from here in Des Moines

It gave me an idea of How I was raised to let out the Old Year and made me wonder if any of you do anything to Let out the Old and Bring in The New?

Here are some from All Spice and Look Below for some from me:

Some cultures dictate that at midnight on New Year's Eve, all the doors of a house must be flung open to let the old year escape unimpeded, so that the new year can enter. 

Stocking your pantry


In December, the Japanese scrub the house clean, and throw Bonenkai or "forget-the-year" parties, to "bid farewell" to the problems and concerns of the past year, and prepare for a new beginning.

• The Dutch burn bonfires of Christmas trees on the street and launch fireworks. The fires are meant to purge the old and welcome the new.
• Saving the best for last, there is the German tradition of Feuerzangenbowle (repeat 3 times fast after drinking one cup of it), literally translated as "flaming fire tong punch."  Which is exactly what it is. The main ingredients are Rotwein, Rum, Orangen, Zitronen, Zimt und Gewürznelken (red wine, rum, oranges, lemons, cinnamon and cloves). See the following recipe for details. And hide everyone's keys before imibing in this firewater. It sneaks up on you in a warmingly good way!
• Set the Stage For The New Year:
• Superstition says that what you do in the first moments and hours of the New Year will set the precedent for what happens throughout the rest of the coming year. This is why you want to kiss at the stroke of midnight [preferably someone you care about]: it insures their continued affection and loyalty for the next twelve months.
• The Spanish ritual on New Year's eve is to eat twelve grapes at midnight, to secure twelve months of happiness.
• The Scottish celebrate Hogmanay, a rousing all-night street party to ring in the New Year.
• The Scottish also have a tradition of "first-footing." Shortly after midnight on New Year's Eve, neighbors pay visits to each other and impart New Year's wishes. Traditionally, "First Foots" would bring along a gift of coal for the fire, or shortbread. It is considered especially lucky if a tall, dark, and handsome man is the first to enter your house after the new year is rung in. [To which, women everywhere say, "DUH."]

NYE Ideas from Trisha:


I would like to do a cleansing and something ritualistic. I would like to do something less metaphorical and more realistic. I would like to do something profound. The problem is I never do.

In the past I have gone to parties. Go to some bar. Hang out with friends.  When I was married we watched the ball drop or hung out at a friends house and had a NYE party with them. I have had parties on a yacht, in a mansion, and at a restaurant on NYE. After I got divorced I started hanging out with single girls and hung out with them on NYE. Last year I went to a BASH NYE party with some friends and had a blast. I was originally supposed to go Chicago with some girl friends but the cost was so high and it seemed too "Single Girls" ish and I did not feel like I fit that bill. So instead I hung out with my friends in Des Moines. I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed myself. But it was still lacking and missing something, it was missing some one.

The truth is I don't want to be that single girl hanging  out at the bar. I don't want to be the person who has no one to kiss at midnight. I don't want to be sitting at home watching Dick Clark and the ball drop in NYE by myself.

I WANT to be cuddled up on the couch sitting next to someone I love and care about. I want to be cracking jokes and laughing with our friends. I want to be in a relationship.

But, sigh...this year that won't be happening.

So instead of wallowing in s elf pity because my want WONT be happening I am going to do this:

A Space Clearing Ritual I am reading up on and learning about from Goddess Leonie in the Goddess Circle.
I am going to clean and tidy up my area and then do a Clearing.

My mother used to do something like this with Sage and waft it around the whole house and then she would say these affirmations and burn them and then flush them down the toilet. She had me write down all the negative words about the year before and those would be the words we would burn. Then she would have me wash my hands and tell me to see all my worries and troubles and issues go down the drain.Then she would have me write down all the positive phrases and things I wanted in teh New Year adn we would say in sentence form those words like "I will welcome Happiness and Prosperity in my New Year..." and other things like that.

I grew up in a home where getting rid of the old and bringing in the new was customary...but somewhere along the way I forgot how to do this and I just let things happen all around me and I kept trying to survive and keep my head above water.

Since 2011 was in NO way what I wanted out of it and I thought I would be in a different place and situation this year at this time, I don't want it anymore. I give 2011 back to itself. I refuse to allow it to define me.

I am going to rid myself of all the negatives for 2011 and bring in the new year with a Space Clearing and welcome in all the things I desire and draw them to me to be drawn to me. Here's hoping 2012 brings better things for us all!

So How Do You Let Old Year Out and New Year In?