“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” — Rainer Maria Rilke
Christmas is over, the wrapping paper and Amazon boxes are hitting the trash can, and now it’s an odd week until New Year’s Day. Many people take it off from work, maybe for a staycation or to jet off to somewhere fun, but at my house, we are all just home and hanging around like, “Are there any of those Santa cookies left?” “Why are the stores still so crowded?” “What day is it?” This week has always been a placeholder — Christmas is past, it’s not New Year’s Eve yet; what do we do now?
We can look back, but we also have to decide how we want to go forward, so maybe a week spent in a little indecisive limbo is a good thing. I’m still a little addled after way too much charcuterie and eggnog. I need to get my act together soon, though, and I should probably have a salad and some Gatorade before I try to make any big decisions.
We just made it through a long year, managed the holidays, and it’s about to start again. Can you blame anyone who needs a few days to get their head back in the game? Is this really when we should be thinking up resolutions? It’s the middle of winter, and while there isn’t any snow (thank you, weather gods), it’s cold, it gets dark early, and the next holiday that involves chocolate isn’t until the middle of February. I will need a minute before deciding on a new life path.
I’ve always wondered why January is when we want to reevaluate everything. I usually eat snacks, binge Netflix, and nap in January. This is when the new year starts, so I understand why it’s become a tradition. When something new is beginning — a new year, job, home — it seems like a good time to work toward a few goals.
So, as we go into this new year, I find myself thinking about 2020 and how everyone was so glad to see the end of that “annus horribilis,” as the late Queen Elizabeth II would call it. 2021 was going to be the year of all years. There was hope in the fight against COVID-19, with vaccines and cases dropping. There would be a new administration in the White House after a contentious election. We were on the upswing; it would be a new era of hope.
And then came Jan. 6. Seriously, we couldn’t even get a whole week into a new year without some fresh hell we never saw coming. Since then, I’ve been cautious about New Year’s and making plans. I think my goals for 2022 and 2023 consisted of “try not to get hit by a bus, and maybe think about a new hairstyle,” because that’s all I had the capacity for at the time.
This year, I may dip my toe in deeper and try to think up some concrete goals. I could choose something vague, like being healthier or building my resume, but I’m all set with those areas for now. Lose weight? I did that two years ago, and it’s still gone, so what’s next? Get a new job? I also did that, and I’m happier than ever.
I will enjoy this buffer week to detox from all the work, worry, and wonder that is the December holiday season. I’m taking this quote to mean that the next year will not be the same old, same old — there will be new adventures, new people, new challenges, and it’s thrilling. Or it will be once I polish off the last of the Christmas cookies and decide which way to go. Happy New Year!
Brenda Kelley Kim has lived in Marblehead for 50 years, and is an author, freelance writer, and mother of three. Her column appears weekly.