A bunch of white tulips that my friends brought on New Year’s Eve
Once again I celebrated New Year’s Eve with the same friends as usual. Three of us were neighbours for many years back in the 1900s and into this century. One of them usually has her sister visiting for New Year; and in later years, the other friend’s mum has been with us, too. The three of us who used to be neighbours have probably spent most New Years together ever since the late 1980s (although sometimes in the past with more people as well). Since NY 2000/01 it’s been the 4-5 of us, and (for various practical reasons) at my place. (It’s a joint venture though, as they bring some of the food etc too.)
A cup of “glögg” for starters when they arrive has become part of the tradition. (Mulled wine; but low/no alcohol.)
Ah, that table looks so tidy at the beginning of the evening…
Different story towards midnight…! 
Another tradition: Opening “Kinder Eggs” while waiting for the midnight fireworks…
We also always watch a film. Usually from my collection, but this year it was one of the others who brought one. A bit of an extra surprise for all of us - including her who brought it! - as it turned out to be in French… It did have Swedish subtexts, though; so we coped! Intouchables, a multi-award-winning film from 2011. (The story of the friendship between a wealthy quadriplegic and his live-in caregiver – with a criminal background, and reluctant to take the job at all to begin with… Based on a true story, according to the end titles.)
Looking in through the window from my balcony, after midnight (guests gone home)… The little lights on the amaryllis plant are reflections of the lights outside!
We had snow again for New Year (but all gone again now)
As usual, I felt kind of “blurry” all of New Year’s Day, and spent most of that day resting and doing “nothing” (oh well, tidying up a bit after the party too). And while doing nothing, I reflected on a book I read over Christmas – on the importance of rest! Written by a Swedish pastor (Tomas Sjödin), popular and well known in Sweden (from TV and radio as well as his books) but I don’t think his books have been translated into English. Anyway, in this one he looks at various ideas of the sabbath, and one of the things he makes a point of is that in the Biblical story of creation (never mind if you interpret it literally or symbolically), God created man on the sixth day, and then rested on the seventh. Which means that for us humans, a state of rest (Garden of Eden) was the beginning rather than the end – and maybe indicating that we might do well sometimes to “put rest first”, so to speak…
And from that perspective, I suppose that beginning a new year with a lazy day may be just the thing, really!
Anyway, however your new year began, I hope it continues well for you! (“God fortsättning” - good continuation - we wish each other in Sweden, in the first days of the new year.)
