Once upon a time, people (i.e. me) held parties on New Year's Eve, had over-inflated expectations re: creating the Best Night Ever, got drunk, fell over, missed the fireworks and woke up feeling horrible on January 1 for emotional and physical (read: hangover) reasons. Not anymore.

There's a new buzz surrounding New Year's, and it's a spiritual one. A whole bunch of people like you and me don't want to get drunk and fall over on New Year's Eve anymore; they want to engage in meaningful activities and honour themselves a little more highly. On December 31, 2009, for example, various people I knew skipped the boozy house parties and headed to a Sweat Lodge and a midnight Bikram Yoga class to welcome in the New Year.  

What was Miss Psychette doing? A midnight ritual, of course! I spent 9-12pm at a house party conducting mini readings for the seven guests present, including a special ritual (starting at 11:45pm) that had us standing in a circle, lighting candles, letting go of miseries from the past 12 months, and speaking aloud our 2010 manifestations... all followed, bien sur, by 12 chimes with my Tibetan bells at midnight. I can honestly say that this was one of the best New Year's Eve experiences I've had in all my 30 years, despite the fact I'd only just met the people who experienced the evening with me! Why? Because it felt authentic, special and powerful, and left me with such a super-charged feeling that I couldn't fall asleep until 2pm (and no, not one drop of alcohol!) And I really believe that the way you spend the first day of the New Year sends a very powerful message about how you'd like your next 12 months to follow suit...

New Year's Eve 2009 was particularly special for the following reasons:
The partial lunar eclipse (occurring when the Sun, Moon and Earth are on a single line). You may have felt tension/stress leading up to December 31... and if so, this was the culprit!
The full moon in Cancer (The Full Moon in Cancer... illuminates what we need for emotional and spiritual nourishment. Will help protect us from negativity while we explore the answers that may have eluded us up until now. Linked with July's Cancer-Solar Eclipse - this full moon brings resolution, finality, endings or culmination to something that may have first come to light on or around the month of July.)
The pagans called this moon the 'strawberry moon' (summer solstice).
A blue moon (in some magical traditions, this is considered a sort of spiritual bonus round... it's a time of new beginnings, and of getting things right that you messed up or missed the first time around.)
2010 numerology (we are moving into universal year number 3, in which we will be pushed to transform the structures and beliefs we most fear to change.)
Chinese Year of the White Metal Tiger (People who like to talk about wealth will say that 2010 is a Golden Tiger year. It's a symbol of power and authority; good year for leadership. The Keng Yin 2010 year symbolizes toughness, generosity and wealth earned with hard work. 2010 year is a dutiful, family oriented and dependable year - you may work hard for loved ones. You may not express your feelings in words but make up for it by deeds.)

Lastly, while researching some meaningful blessings, poems and rituals to include in my Midnight Goddess Circle, I was struck by how special New Year's Eve was in years gone by. These days, it's all about lugging a beer-filled esky to somebody's BBQ and wearing your new hot pants in order to pick up someone's gorgeous brother for a pash when the clock strikes twelve. But once upon a time, New Year's was laden with almost as much rich tradition and sacredness as Christmas or Good Friday: a 24 hour period in which many families visited each other, shared food, toasted and prayed together. In Scotland, they still honour pagan New Year rituals via Hogmanay. And one only has to look at the huge celebration and significance surrounding the New Year in Asian cultures... but more on that on February 14 when we grrrrrowl our way into the Year of the Tiger. BRING IT ON!