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new year's!
Posted by Alicia Silverstone on Dec 22, 2009

Hi there – 2009 has been an amazing year. I wanted to share some of our New Year’s traditions, and I’d love to hear yours!



For the past 3 years, Christopher and I have been keeping special New Year’s journals.  We sit down on New Year’s Eve and write down everything that happened that year... the highlights, highs and lows, accomplishments, things we were proud of, meaningful events, or maybe things that were sad.  Next, we write about what we want 2010 to be like.  Then, the next year when we go and look back at what we wrote, it's really cool to see if those things ended up happening... a great way to start the new year.      



Here are some of our resolutions and other New Year’s thoughts:

It is a perfect time to go through all of your old stuff and recycle/give away all the things that you have been meaning to get rid of.  This will make you feel so much lighter and happier!  Go through things like your medicine cabinet and kitchen cleaning supplies.  Give them away and replace them with more eco friendly choices.  Go through your closet and sell your clothes to your local recycled clothing store, or give them to Goodwill. 

This one is an on-going one, but eat right!!! Do what you can to get whole foods and fresh veggies, greens, and plant based proteins into your diet.  Get your hands on The Kind Diet and go nuts!  Make the Mixed Berry Cheesecake or the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and have a party!



Another great thing to do on New Year’s is to get out of debt!  Start saving money (if you haven’t already)... it’s never too late to start doing this!  And doing things like washing your clothes in cold water, turning off lights and unplugging things you don’t need plugged in can make a difference in your monthly bills... ok, not an insane difference, but every little bit counts, right?! Remember, 50% of your electricity bill is just plugged in stuff that sits there! You can sell your old TV’s or other things on Craigslist, and make a few bucks!



Get out there and be active!  Enjoy a day in the sun (or rain!) on a nice walk or bike ride. Find a local hike near your home.  Hang out in your own yard or courtyard area!  Make a little area in your yard that can be special just for you or you and friends.  Use pillows, blankets, yoga mats, whatever you’ve got.



If you take a little vacation for a New Year’s celebration, remember that most travel companies and forms of transportation now offer carbon offset programs for your trips. Make sure to ask about them.



A few notes on your New Year’s celebration beverages...

Go for organic wine, beer and spirits when you can!  Organic is better for you, better for the people who grow the ingredients and produce it, and better for the planet.  When you drink organic wine, you are keeping up to 250 chemicals that are used to produce non-organic wine out of your life and out of your body!  Organic wines also mean the possibility of little to no hangover... fewer chemicals and fewer sulfites mean a better feeling head the next day.  Localharvest.org is a great site to find organic vineyards and breweries in your area.



Bottom line is that with organic wines, anytime you can find wine made with organic grapes, wines that use 100% organic ingredients, biodynamic wines... go for it! They are a big eco step-up from conventional wines. 

Another note... Make sure that you don’t drink and drive!  There are now green taxi services, so you can help the planet, and also ensure that you get to and from your destination safe and sound.  Just Google “green taxi service”, and find one in your area.  If you can’t find a green taxi, a regular one will work just fine too!



Don’t forget... if you are feeling the consequences of a fun New Year’s Eve, the Cure All Tea works wonders on a hangover!  



I found a few more teas that should work to cure hangovers.... I haven't tried them, but they look like a good hangover cure to try...



Have a warm, kind, fun filled New Year’s!

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I just finished you new book and loved it! Happy Holidays!
p.s. Your husbad is super cute!
husband*
It is nice to reflect our past and it is wonderful to experience the future. I spend the evening cuddled up on the couch with my husband waiting tv and just enjoying each other's company. We used to spend it with family but they live in the midwest and since moving to CA, we have concentrated on loving and being there for one another. Thank you for your book and your thoughts.

I love that idea too !

With my boyfriend, we will do that and look back at the past year...
Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea !

I too love the journal idea!  I've been nesting,  so lots of clothes are getting passed on or donated at the moment.  It does make you feel lighter and more free.   Merry Christmas to you and Christopher.  Hope to see you soon. -Temple

cleaning out your closet is an awesome idea! I do it a few times a year and donate whatever clothing I can to a great cause.

Thanks for sharing your great ideas, Alicia!  And I agree with some of the other posters - what a great pic of you and your hubby!  So cute!  On an unrelated note, what kind of facial care products do you use?  I want to use vegan products, but haven't found anything I'm really thrilled with yet. Thanks and Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Lisa
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  • JR
  • Dec 30, 2009
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LOVE this post Alicia!  I'm really excited for the new year!
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