I wrote a similar blog about my year-end rituals a couple of years ago, but I wanted to recapture some of the rituals that made the transition into 2020 very significant. 

Some of the rituals may appear to be the same from the previous blogpost that i wrote a few years ago, but this time I had a different or even deeper intention, so to speak. It was with a perspective of ending a decade in mind. This list is not exhaustive, but i like keeping it at 10.

So here we go:

1. Wrote a gratitude note to my husband for the decade that we have shared together. We started dating in 2009 and we have come a long way, through so many life transitions and personal changes. We are married for 8 years, and we’ve been together for 10 years.
2. Spent time in reflection most of December reviewing old journals from 2009-2019. This was over a period of many days, as I looked forward to the culmination of the reflection in my silent retreat.
3. Went away immediately after Christmas to spend time alone with God time in a silent retreat to rest, and to continue the reflection and prayer time. This is my first physical getting away overnight for silent retreat since we moved to San Jose. Lately, I would make time for reflection and retreat, but without the luxury of staying overnight. Back in our “before-baby” days in Cape Town, I would even stay two nights or more in my favorite retreat center.
4. I also symbolically cleared some clothes, old food from the fridge and toys to give away or throw away, in order to make room for the new. This is a usual ritual for me. There were times that I included my boys in the sorting, and the little guy had fun deciding which of his toys he wanted to give away in order to open up new gifts and have space for them.
5. My husband and I read a book together and discussed how to we can be better parents to Phoenix, as he continues to go through his own little transitions. We haven’t read a book together in a long time.
6. Bought a new set of bedding and changed our sheets in the new year, as a symbolic sign of a fresh start.
7. We went on a December Date. We usually to plan to attend a show or watch a musical at year-end to officially start the holidays but there was nothing we wanted to see in December in San Jose, so we opted for a dinner date. Honestly date nights haven’t happened much this year, so this was great! We talked and compared notes from our separate silent retreat time with God. We took turns speaking out the growth that we notice in each other in the last decade that we have been together, that was life-giving.
8. Made a list of the people that are in our lives in our current season. We continue to pray and desire to be intentional with them in 2020. I regularly review those who are in my relational circle, as transitions are natural, that way I do not have unrealistic expectations on others. Seasons come, and seasons go.
9. We watched our first sunset of the decade to symbolically welcome the dawn of the new decade. This was after we raised our glass the night before, taking turns in thanking God for 2019.
10. Finally, we kicked off 2020 with a 21-day Daniel fast. Grateful that through so many life transitions, we continue to grow closer together as a couple and towards God. We want to start the year, and the decade at the altar with God.

How about you? What are some of the meaningful things that helped you transition into 2020?