Week Five: Celebrate
Some ridiculousness for our last Creative Practices for the Winter Doldrums
It’s our last week of the series. What a weird and fun trip it’s been.
Thanks for coming along for the ride. Creating this series breathed some life into my winter, and I’ve loved hearing what’s connected with you. As we wrap up this series, it’s time for one more practice—celebration.
Really, Jackie? It is late February. Deep doldrum territory here. Have you seen the headlines? I’m not exactly in a party mood.
We’ll take it easy, promise. And yes, the doom scrolling is real. I kid you not, I opened up a weather app to see about our latest storm and the headline read, “California Under Siege!” Drama, anyone?
I think the doom is precisely why we need a practice of celebration—not as a means to ignore the difficulties of the world, but as a way to push back against the despair that accompanies the doom. It is time to throw a rebellion against the doldrums, otherwise they can swallow us whole.
It takes creativity to find a celebration that matches the mood of the moment, but it is one of my favorite ways to be present, to declare, “Come what may, we’ve got tonight. How can we see the beauty or find the joy or frolic in the good of right now?”
Let’s party, people.
Questions:
These questions will help you brainstorm a random celebration for the next few weeks.
What are your favorite ways to celebrate? What feels fun to you?
What is some good news you could make an occasion of?
Are there any people you could celebrate?
Write down a list of ideas for celebrations you wouldn’t normally have.
Your ideas can be simple and don’t have to involve a lot of people—Breakfast for Dinner or Light One Candle Take-Out Tuesday Dinner. Celebration, check.
If you want a general excuse to gather with more people, I love a Bring Your Own Reason to Celebrate Party. Tell people to bring whatever food/drink/music feels like a celebration to them and dress how they want. Hang a huge paper up and have everyone write down their reason to celebrate. Have one person pick the first activity and keep rotating to the next thing. A little chaotic with some weird twists? Yes. Relief from not having to curate a menu and decor? Also yes.
Some mood boards in case you are craving a weird theme party:
For that once-in-four-years-day-o-fun. If you want frog-themed games, may I suggest Blindfolded Leapfrog? A family favorite for us, but I will not be held responsible for injuries. I also love the idea of marking the occasion by having everyone “take a leap” and find one brave thing to do. Look back on your lists from the other weeks if you need some inspiration for new activities. Trapeze class, anyone?
Another festive idea—the ever-so-popular Worm Moon Party. If you missed it, I talked about the full moons here and was intrigued that March’s is called the Worm Moon. If that isn’t an occasion to be marked, I’m not sure what is. The Worm Moon is happening on March 25, so you’ve got plenty of time to get your plans together. Please, please send me pictures if you have a Worm Moon Extravaganza.
Practices:
Party!
Find something to celebrate, and plan something festive. Your idea of a good time will vary wildly from mine, as evident by the story below. Enjoy your celebration.
A Story of Celebrating:
On Groundhog Day 2017, my friend Sterling and I made a sign that said, “The world has gone mad. This groundhog wants to give you a hug. May I?” We donned groundhog masks and walked around offering hugs.
People were oddly receptive. Granted, this is Berkeley, so if it is going to be normal to hug a groundhog anywhere, it is here. We can’t quite remember how exactly we got to that series of events, but we cried with laughter the whole night. It brought a spark of life to those early February days. The holiday as a whole is absurd, but I love the low expectations that come with it. A lame New Year’s? Feels a little crappy. A great Groundhog Day? Fantastic.
For the past seven years, we’ve kept the party going. One of my favorite galas involved champagne at the Golden Gate Bridge on Groundhog Day’s Eve, where we counted down at midnight and screamed as if the year had turned.
Without further ado, our celebration for this year…
The Red Dress Project: Dancing Groundhog Edition. Because who doesn’t love a rodent ballerina? If you are new here, I take photos of women in red dresses, and could not pass up the chance to combine that project with an elegant groundhog situation in the redwoods. Lucky for me, Sterling happens to be a brilliant ballerina and also a really good friend to agree to this spectacle.
As I was editing these pieces, I busted up laughing time and time again.
Life is lovely sometimes—my favorite trees, a beloved friend, a project I never imagined, and an absurd tradition, all captured in a few images.
Take that winter doldrums.
Take that.
And, it’s a wrap! Thanks for coming along on the ride these five weeks. More shenanigans coming soon. Anything you’d love to hear about in this space? Let me know.
I’d love to hear from you! What are you going to celebrate? Put it in the comments or tag me on Instagram: @jackieknapp_
Coaching: I have a few coaching spots open if you need help with a creative project or the project of life itself—I’d love to chat. Find more info here or email me to set up a free discovery call. I’d love to hear from you!
Workshops + Retreats: If you need a fresh take on a work event, my lighthearted workshops on creativity and self-care have been fan favorites for a variety of companies. You can find more info here. If you’d like to discuss planning a retreat for your group or church, please get in touch—jackie@jackieknapp.com.