In our northern hemisphere this time of year, it's dark. It's dark when we wake up, and it's dark again by 5pm. That darkness can take its toll, and coupled with the cold, often keeps us inside, alone. One way to combat this loneliness is to create a new December tradition to help keep us excited, and connected.
Traditions are vital elements of connectedness - they remind us of the communities we are a part of, build routines that give us emotional security, and provide moments to look forward to that create relational stories. As we grow, some of our childhood traditions may change - and that is totally fine. Others might disappear totally - and that's ok too. But we also have the power to create new traditions that are meaningful and personal, and today, we challenge you to think about what new tradition you might want to incorporate into your end-of-year (or into your 2018!).
Your new connectedness tradition can be as simple, or elaborate, as you want. Some possible ideas include:
- inviting old childhood friends over every year for a New Year's day potluck
- hosting an annual best-of-that-year movie marathon in your living room - complete with endless popcorn
- baking your grandmother's favorite cake recipe and taking it to the local nursing home to share
- booking an annual trip with some old high-school friends to a place you always wanted to go together
- creating an end-of-the-year 'vision board' with all the people you want to reconnect with in the following year
These are just some ideas - clearly, the options for new connectedness traditions are endless. But the real value of a tradition is in the consistency - so choose something that makes you thrilled to think about doing it again with friends year after year. Don't let the darkness keep you lonely - there are so many ways to keep the connections alive even in the cold!
Let us know what you have decided to do, and let this one new tradition help pave the way for a 2018 full of connections, excitements, and memories.