Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year begins tomorrow, January 31st. I read something recently that described the time between December 31st and the Lunar New Year as a "grace period"... a time to get clear and confident on how you want the year to unfold.

I really like the idea of a "grace period."

The December holidays are such a busy time of year that by the time New Year's Eve rolls around I'm exhausted! I've barely had time to reflect on the past year and begin to plan for the new year.

Since January is such a cold and dull month anyway, it's a good time to give myself a mental break while preparing for the new year. And with nature and the outdoors being such a big part of my life, I like that the moon dictates the flow of each new year.

Here are a few DO's and DON'Ts for tomorrow:

~ DO eat sweets! Eating sweets on New Year’s Day ensures sweet days to follow.
~ DO wish and pray for people.
~ DO spend time with your family and your friends.
~ DO wear red!
~ DO share kind words, think kind thoughts.

 ~ Do NOT clean. In fact, make sure that your brooms & vacuums are put away out of sight. You don’t want to sweep away your good fortune for the year, or even be tempted to.
 ~ Do NOT borrow or lend money.
 ~ Do NOT use a knife (thought to sever good fortune of the family)
 ~ Do NOT wash your hair (thought to wash away your good luck)
 ~ Do NOT mention death.
 ~ Do NOT cry or yell as this sets the tone for the year to come!
 ~ Do NOT prepare food. Do all of the food prep in advance so come New Year’sDay, you can relax and enjoy your family & friends.

Remember, what happens on this day sets the pace and tone for the remainder of this year. Make it a good one!

Charlie will be wearing her "red" tomorrow!