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"  It&amp;#039;s the start of a new year. The holidays are behind us. But actually, life is full of unique moments for you to commemorate and cherish. Some sparkle with champagne and party dresses, and some resonate in a quieter, more personal way. For example, every year on the first day of spring, my daughter, Mae, and I walk outside and look for signs of awakening \u2014 a tiny snowdrop flower pushing up from the ground or a small beetle scrambling across a mossy rock. We talk about what the new season means for us \u2014 soon we&amp;#039;ll get to play outside without jackets and watch the tree in our front yard fill with pale pink apple blossoms. This little ritual is significant: It encourages me to slow down, treasure my child, and appreciate the cycle of nature. So look for your own special excuse to celebrate! Here, 11 women share the sweet, joyful, or soulful occasions they mark every year. \u2014  Jen Matlack  &amp;quot;I celebrate the harvest with my neighbors.&amp;quot; \u2014  Arielle Eckstut, 39, Montclair, NJ  In October, we get together with our next-door neighbors for our &amp;quot;last supper,&amp;quot; a meal that celebrates the herbs, fruits, and vegetables that we harvested from our garden that year. The gathering symbolizes two things for me: my connection to the earth and the seasons and also the gift of friendship, because we created this garden with our neighbors. I see them probably more than anyone besides my husband and daughter, so this ritual celebrates that everyday connection, which I cherish.  &amp;quot;I celebrate the women in my family.&amp;quot; \u2014 Jeanine Baber, 43, Phoenix I started a tradition three years ago called &amp;quot;Ladies&amp;#039; Day,&amp;quot; which occurs on Mother&amp;#039;s Day and joins all the women from my family and my late husband&amp;#039;s family. We lost him over three years ago, and this seemed like a good way to bring all of us together again. Everyone brings something to share \u2014 finger sandwiches, salads, and desserts. The kids go swimming, and some of the ladies wear fancy hats. We look through old and new photos and catch up. It&amp;#039;s a way for us to stay in one another&amp;#039;s lives and acknowledge the love we all share. &amp;quot;I celebrate the sunset.&amp;quot;  \u2014  Desiree Miller, 40, Woodstock, GA  I love the beach but live in a city where I&amp;#039;m landlocked. But I get down to the Georgia Coast as much as possible, and when I&amp;#039;m there, I make it a point each day to have a &amp;quot;sunset celebration.&amp;quot; I find a quiet spot on the sand and let my mind relax while I appreciate the beauty of the sunset. I feel a sense of connection with everyone else around the world who can see the same beautiful sky. Taking the time to appreciate this is my way of slowing the world down and truly being in the moment, something I don&amp;#039;t do often enough. &amp;quot;I celebrate the day I left cancer behind.&amp;quot; \u2014 Rose Bonomo, 50, Portland, OR  After my last treatment for breast cancer three years ago, I performed a &amp;quot;good-bye to cancer&amp;quot; ritual in August with my closest friends. We took some of the things I had worn during chemo and burned them. Then my friends sprinkled water on me and said things about washing away the cancer. We drank to good health and exchanged small, meaningful gifts. The ceremony was a way to fully acknowledge that that part of my life was over. Now, every August I raise a glass with my friends to remember that day and give thanks to all the great women who stood by me in that time. Their love and friendship keep me strong and optimistic about the future. &amp;quot;I celebrate the rain.&amp;quot; \u2014 Emily Blasi, 36, Dix Hills, NY Whenever it rains, my husband opens the garage door and sets up chairs for me and our three little girls. We watch the drops as they fall on the ground and celebrate that the grass, trees, and flowers will grow beautifully because they are being nourished. Our time together provides nourishment for our souls as well. In this fast-paced world, I&amp;#039;m happy and grateful to steal moments like these to bring my family closer and create truly lasting traditions that I hope my children will carry on with their own kids. &amp;quot;I celebrate springtime.&amp;quot; \u2014 Monica Bhide, 40, Tysons Corner, VA To honor the arrival of spring and the beautiful cherry blossoms that bloom in my neighborhood, I host a henna party for all my female friends. In Indian culture, henna is used during celebrations, and for me, spring is worth celebrating because it&amp;#039;s a time of rebirth. My friends and I welcome the new season by playing music, eating, and getting our hands painted with intricate designs. We park our responsible roles at the door \u2014 we&amp;#039;re no longer mothers or wives \u2014 and become little kids with no cares in the world other than having fun. &amp;quot;I celebrate the day I met my best friend.&amp;quot; \u2014 Suzette Banzo, 41, New York City I met Maria on the first day of kindergarten, so each September we have a Kindergarten Anniversary Day. Sometimes we&amp;#039;ll take a trip together, or we&amp;#039;ll just meet for dinner. We always recall the story of how I asked her name and how shy she was \u2014 she whispered it to me three times before I finally heard her. If you met her now, you would see that she is still the shy one and I&amp;#039;m still the outgoing one. Our friendship has lasted 36 years \u2014 we&amp;#039;re like sisters to each other.  &amp;quot;I celebrate the power of being a woman.&amp;quot; \u2014 Amanda Curry, 32, Encinitas, CA Every month during the full moon, I attend a &amp;quot;Goddess Gathering&amp;quot; at my friend&amp;#039;s house with about a dozen other women. We eat great food, share our goals, and celebrate our energies and dreams. The last time we met, we wrote our fears down on paper and then burned them in a campfire. The process helped me identify and let go of the fears that were standing in my way. After our get-together under the blazing moon, I always feel empowered, like I can do anything. &amp;quot;I celebrate the day we created a home.&amp;quot; \u2014 Karen Garvey, 45, Hauppauge, NY  Every July 11, my family and I mark the anniversary of the day we moved into our house and created a home. It was unbelievably hot that day, so we went to a nearby 7-Eleven for Slurpees to cool off. Now each year we return to that same store for Slurpees and reminisce about all the memories we&amp;#039;ve made since moving day. Our home is our treasure \u2014 it&amp;#039;s the one place where each of us consistently feels appreciated, accepted, and loved.  &amp;quot;I celebrate the memory of loved ones.&amp;quot; \u2014 Corey Colwell-Lipson, 36, Issaquah, WA In our family we celebrate our deceased loved ones&amp;#039; birthdays and death anniversaries by lighting a candle at the start of dinner and then sharing memories of them. Whenever we remember my grandmother G.G., we often end up laughing until we cry. One story we recount is how every New Year&amp;#039;s Eve at midnight, G.G. would jump off a chair &amp;quot;into the New Year.&amp;quot; My kids love jumping off their chairs in her honor. Although we don&amp;#039;t shy away from sadness, we keep the mood celebratory with a feeling of gratitude and happiness that the person was in our lives. &amp;quot;I celebrate the shortest day of the year.&amp;quot; \u2014 Buffy Martin Tarbox, 38, San Francisco At sundown on the winter solstice, I turn off all the artificial lights in the house and live that way for one night, cooking or reading by candlelight. Before electricity, people had to rely on natural light to guide their movements and actions, so when the sun set, it was time to rest. Following this cycle for one day makes me feel like I&amp;#039;m in harmony with a natural rhythm and gives me a deep sense of peace. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.redbookmag.com/body/mental-health/a5693/unique-holidays/>