The Menorah is in the freezer

The Menorah is in the freezer… of course.  I never know what to do with myself on New Year’s Eve.  My husband is not a party person so going to one is not on the list.  We spent most of our lives in southern Alabama (War Eagle baby.  Yes… bellowing that is a requirement.  One must identify where one allegiance lies in the Sweet Home Alabama) so watching the ball fall in NYC is a bit on the cold side for me and too many people for the Mr. Crosby. The kids are upper teens and have their own things to do tonight. So, it is me, a bottle of wine, Star Trek on Netflix and the Menorah is in the freezer…of course.

It is odd. Two New Year’s eves.  In my mind, New Year and festivities were months ago; Rosh Hashanah. One is a holy day, one a party day.  The only comfort with two New Year’s I can find is Tashlikh; the casting off.  Like the emptying of pockets into a creek to cast off our sins, the desire to make New Year’s resolutions is an attempt to begin again.   Our society makes promises to ourselves then breaks them. I vow to lose weight. I will be more patient. I will break all my resolutions… again.

I have never been a fan of resolutions. I’ve always thought the idea of making promises to ourselves once a year ludicrous, preposterous, silly and nonsensical.  (Don’t you love a thesaurus?) Our society places their resolutions in the superficial and the self. Not the self in the positive way but the self in the self-centered way. Resolutions to look better, resolutions to work harder relax more, organize one’s life. Most people would get more out of actually emptying their pockets of lint and junk into a river. I challenge the wold to make resolutions of the other self; self serving, caring for others.

So I’ve cleaned the house because I don’t know what else to do with the day. Thus, the Menorah is in the freezer.  Wax comes right off when it is frozen. We will have some sushi, another glass of wine and re-evaluate what to do with my own new year. So… comment away! What are you doing with your new year?  What does New Year mean to you?

Whatever you do I wish you all a very blessed New Year. L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatem.