Janet CollinsGood Riddance Day – A Different Take on the New Year’s Resolution
January 2nd 2010 02:00
Alissa Yakelevits - winner of most creative entry
Over in the US for the past three years the Times Square Alliance has created and marketed an event called “Good Riddance Day” as a precursor of sorts to New Year’s Eve. Hundreds turned up this year to celebrate and participate in the event to rid themselves of bad memories or things that have been causing them angst before launching into the New Year.
Organisers handed out black markers and paper for participants to put on paper the things they wanted out of their lives. Writing “I want to say good riddance to…..” participants could symbolically rid themselves of the things that have brought them pain. They could then throw this thought into the industrial sized shredders that had been provided for the event. Even a sledgehammer and a large bin were provided for items that just couldn’t fit into a shredder.
I thought this sounded like a pretty fun idea – hardly anything that could so any harm and many who came along treated the occasion as a therapeutic one. Symbolically at least for many, their grievances could be finally tossed away.
Some of the participants came along with credit card bills or photos of their exes but many just wrote out some of their biggest hang-ups and threw them away. Others just went along for the fun shredding or smashing some of the things they have grown to loathe including CDs and fashion items.
It’s all about karma and tossing away everything that may be bringing in bad karma before setting off on a new road in a new year.
The third annual event was held in Times Square on Monday 28 December, just four days before the new year and new decade came in and organisers were pleased that this year’s event proved even more popular than the previous years, a factor they attribute to news about the event spreading on Facebook and Twitter.
Alissa Yakelevits was the winner of the $250 Grand Prize for the most creative entry, although it was a little more serious than most. What did Alissa want to be rid of? Her camp leader who appeared on America’s most wanted!
What would you most want out of your life? Would it be memories of a relationship, a boss who put you out of work or more practical things such as bills and debt? Would it be ninetees fashion or music or maybe some ghastly heirloom you have inherited?
Here is your chance. Let us all know.
Sourced: www.cnn.com; www.timessquarenyc.org
Imaged credit: www.timessquarnyc.org
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Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
While we are at it let's throw in about 15hrs a week of work, my apartment, all the mouldy bits on the base of my walls, every bit of dust and junk in my house, every bloody leaf that falls in my backyard section.
There are also about 30 stupid drivers I have seen over this holiday period that could be put to the shredder and hmmmmmmmmmmm why not all the bad khama I have and will encounter in this coming year
Much better now
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Now that load is off your chest, 2010 will be a really good one I bet!
Have a good one.