2024: A Dumpster Fire in Review
They say the Irish know how to throw a party, mourn a loss, and curse a bad year all at the same time. Well, here’s one middle child with an oversized day job, a candle business, and a bucketload of hope who’s doing all three this New Year.
Now, before you accuse me of being overly dramatic (you’d be wrong, by the way), let’s call 2024 what it was for me: a raging, all-consuming dumpster fire. It’s been the kind of year that makes you question everything—your job, your priorities, and whether you’ve been cursed by a particularly salty leprechaun. Spoiler: I probably have.
But here’s the thing about us Irish—we don’t just sit in the ashes of a burned-out year. We sweep the fecking threshold, pour a Guinness, and start again.
Brooms, Begone, and Bad Luck Too
In rural Ireland, they say you should grab a broom on New Year’s Eve and sweep the doorstep. The idea is simple: out with the bad, in with the good. It’s a custom that makes perfect sense to me. So, if you drive by my house at midnight on New Year’s, don’t be alarmed by the madwoman with a broom yelling, “GET OUT, 2024!” It’s cultural, I swear.
First-Footing: The Dark-Haired Savior
Then there’s “first-footing.” The first person to walk through your door after midnight sets the tone for your year. Tradition says it should be a tall, dark-haired man to bring luck. (Bryce, I’m looking at you.) If you’ve got one of those lurking around, congratulations. If not, invite a neighbor—just don’t let a blonde woman or a redhead in first; it’s bad luck. And no, I didn’t make that up.
Coins and Guinness: For Luck and Love
A silver coin on the doorstep? Sure, why not. A toast with a bit of Guinness spilled for the fairies? Always. Because even in my busiest, most chaotic moments, I remember what matters—luck, laughter, and family.
Opening Doors: Literally and Metaphorically
This is perhaps one of the most symbolic Irish traditions for New Year’s Eve. Just before midnight, the back door of the house is opened to release the old year and bid it farewell. This act is believed to usher out any bad luck or negative energy that might have accumulated over the past year. Irish tradition involves opening your front door at midnight to welcome the New Year. It’s symbolic, they say—new opportunities, fresh starts, and all that. For me, it’s also about slamming the back door shut on what’s been dragging me down. It’s a whole-body experience: open, release, welcome, repeat
From First-Footing to Soy-Pouring: Gluttony Candles’ Fresh Start
As the broom sweeps away 2024’s chaos, we’re reminded why we do what we do. Gluttony Candles isn’t just about making your home smell like heaven (though we’re damn good at that)—it’s about finding joy in the little things. Like lighting a candle to reset the mood or laughing over the madness of the year while Bryce stirs a pot of black-eyed peas and collard greens.
Running a small business isn’t for the faint-hearted. Some days, it feels like sweeping bad luck at the threshold only to let it back in through the window. But every candle we pour is a nod to the chaos and beauty of this crazy world. It's our way of lighting the path forward, even if we sometimes stumble along it ourselves.
So, whether you’re embracing Irish traditions or Southern comfort food (or both—why not?), let’s raise a glass, light a candle, and toast to a 2025 full of hope, joy, and just enough fecking madness to keep things interesting.
Photos From my 2024 Camera Roll - Business & Pleasure
A Love Letter Home
Twenty five years away from Ireland has only made my heart grow fonder. This post isn’t just about New Year’s traditions; it’s a reminder to my family and friends back home that my love for you is as strong as ever. Sure, I’ve been busy. Yes, life is hard. But the respect and whimsy I feel for our shared roots keep me grounded.
I’m not just opening doors this New Year; I’m opening my heart. For hope. For joy. For the chance to bring my family, my work, and my life into balance.
So, here’s to 2025: the year I curse less (maybe), love more, and find the humor in all the chaos. As we say in Ireland, “Here’s to a long life and a merry one, a quick death and an easy one, a pretty girl and an honest one, a cold pint—and another one!”
Now, go sweep your threshold.
Love always,
Your Irish Banshee
PPS: An Ode To Home as I Think About you just in Time For Your New Year...
To all my friends and family, near and far, I’m sending you the biggest love and brightest wishes for 2025. From Omagh to Austin, Nashville to Aspen, London to Dallas, Belfast to Austrailia, and all the places in between, my heart is full of gratitude for the joy, memories, and laughter you’ve brought into my life.
Here’s to a year of sweet stories, new adventures, and all the love we can carry.
Sláinte to 2025!
So, what’s your plan for kicking 2024 to the curb?
Are you sweeping out bad luck, opening the door to new adventures, or just lighting a fecking great candle to set the vibe? Whatever your tradition, we’d love to hear about it!
Drop your stories in the comments, grab a Gluttony Candle to start the year off right, and maybe whip up some of Bryce’s black-eyed peas for extra good luck.
Here’s to 2025—a year of hope, joy, and a bit of delightful chaos.
Sláinte!”
2024 an extraordinary year ! Wishing you and Bryce, health, wealth and happiness for 2025