The New Year's Spirit

New Year's is one of my canonized holidays, and I'm always looking for ways to make it special and distinct from Christmas. I have, however, become more comfortable with the overlap with Christmas as I've learned more about the holiday's history. Gifts were given for New Year's until that switched to Christmas in the nineteenth century. When Santa Claus traditions arrived in the US, he often arrived on New Year's, and stockings were likewise hung up for New Year's. And the first Christmas trees in the US were put up for New Year's.

There's a lot of talk about Christmas movies, but not so much about New Year movies. Last Sunday, I watched Ghostbusters II on Youtube TV. I only learned it was a New Year's movie last January. The movie is about my age, meaning I was a baby along with baby Oscar!

On Monday, I wanted to go to Taco Bell because they had a special Confetti Cookie Freeze. I would love to see more confetti-themed products for New Year's. Was this meant for the holiday? I don't know, but it did debut on December 18, and some of the promotional materials look like it. 

I dined in, and at first they forgot to give it to me with my food. NBD, but they gave me an extra one because of the mistake. So I took the second one home and froze it for the next day. I don't eat at Taco Bell that much, because they rarely have seasonal offerings.

On Tuesday, I ran up to the Wild Rose Trail in the dark, using my headlamp and the new lights I got for Christmas. There are two houses on the way where their coniferous trees are growing over the sidewalk, which drives me crazy. (If it's a deciduous tree, I just break the branches, but that's harder when there are needles.) I shouldn't have to duck when I'm running! So I bought two boxes of clearance candy canes, and I put notes on them asking the homeowners to trim the trees from the sidewalk. I put the candy canes on the doorsteps as I ran past. As of yesterday, one of the homes no longer had the candy canes on the step, but they haven't trimmed the tree. The other home still had the candy canes on the step, because I think they don't use their front door. And there was a moving truck as well, so maybe they're moving! This home has the more egregious tree.

Wednesday was New Year's Eve, and Chip Cookies had a special NYE cookie. But it was just a boring category 3 sugar cookie with gold sprinkles. Even though it was boring, I want to support things made specially made for this overlooked holiday. But associating gold with New Year's is, in my observation, a relatively recent phenomenon. When I started paying attention to New Year's in the late '90s, it was more often purple and blue, multicolor, or black and white. Gold is currently a popular color for birthdays and graduations as well.

I ran to the Wild Rose Trail again, the first time I've ever been trail running on New Year's Eve. There was a dusting of snow on either side of the trail, but the trail itself was pretty clear. The Garmin app gives you a special "badge" if you exercise on the last day of the year.

I just spent New Year's Eve with my parents. I learned about the movie The Thin Man from 1934, which takes place at Christmas and the days following, so we watched it. Though there were Christmas scenes, it was less holiday than I had hoped. My nephew and his wife, Preston and Claire, went downtown briefly, but they came home and stayed in "their" room all evening, coming out just before midnight. We had Trader Joe's sparkling lemonade.

And then I did something unique. I have never been trail running on New Year's Day, and this dry year was my chance. But it was supposed to rain throughout New Year's Day. The solution? I went running after midnight! I put on my headlamp and ran over to Springhill Geologic Park, which is just a small nature park nearby that I go to when I have less time. Does it count as a trail? Well, it's unpaved, it has wildflowers and maples and oaks, rabbits live there, and there are lots of volcanic rocks. I was able to hear fireworks as I ran, though I didn't see that many of them (I was more focused on not tripping). It was a unique way to start 2026. I ran 2.5 miles. And I got my badge for exercising on the first day of the year. (They tell me I can only earn the badges 250 times. So after 248 more New Year's Days, I can't get the badge anymore!)

New Year's Day was foggy, which was what I hoped it would be—so that was refreshing, after the unseasonable November and December. We had our traditional dinner with my mom's extended family at Golden Corral, which my grandpa loved.

That day, I learned that the sequel to The Thin Man, called After the Thin Man from 1936, was actually set at New Year's. So we rented it and watched it. The first half of the movie took place on New Year's Eve, and the rest of the movie was the aftermath of NYE happenings, though it wasn't clear how long the time period was. These were pretty good murder-mystery movies, but they required a lot of concentration, since it was hard to tell the differences between the various characters and their 1930s styles.

Then January 2, Preston and Claire returned to California. This is the saddest time of year for me. I ran Wild Rose again in the evening, and it was extremely muddy after the rain.

Yesterday, January 3, I ran near Ensign Peak. Parts of the trail were very muddy, though parts were good. I didn't go on Ensign Peak itself, because that trail looked muddy. But I discovered the South Ensign Peak Trail, which was newer to me.

As I was running up the dirt road, there was a man running down with his dogs, and he said, "Have a great run! Enjoy your October!" It was funny but also sad. Will it ever be winter again?

There was a wildfire a year and a half ago, and this was my first time seeing parts of the aftermath

Yesterday, I went to the Toyota dealer for regular maintenance. I sat in the waiting area reading Consumer Rites: The Buying and Selling of American Holidays, the chapter about the rise of Valentine's Day in the US. The technician broke one of the nuts when they were fixing my alignment, so they gave me a rental car while they wait for parts. It's the first time I've had a rental! It's a Corolla, which used to be one of the default cars when I was a missionary. But it's much newer and nicer than the 2000s Corollas.

We're still recovering from Christmastime. Today I made split-pea soup with the leftover ham bone, which is pretty good. 

I hope you enjoy your January! If it ever comes.

Two Zero Two Five

Wow. I think I can objectively say that 2025 was a terrible year. Everything Trump touches turns to garbage. Charlie Kirk was tragically murdered, and yet many people cared about that without batting an eye at Melissa Hortman's assassination (which Mike Lee even joked about). Latter-day Saints were brutally killed in Michigan, and yet still heartless people make offensive chants. 

My personal life wasn't so bleak, but I was still affected. For example, my brother's family had to move to Taiwan because of DOGE's gutting of science funding.

Anyway, with that downer introduction, here's my annual year in review.

January. I was able to do some trail running at the beginning of the month, and then I was able to do some snow hiking and go swimming with the recreational swim team.

I went to Great Salt Lake State Park to see their mirabilite mounds. I went to the Utah State Capitol for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event. 

February. We took Reggie to the vet for the first time, which was a traumatic experience for him; he panted like a dog. I also went to the Valentine Museum in Salt Lake.

On Presidents' Day, I went to the bird refuge in Farmington.

March. I started the month by going to the small town of Wales, Utah, for St. David's Day, the national holiday of Wales. I went to RootsTech to help at a table for the Utah Historical Society. I made an avocado pie for Pi Day, and I went to the Siamsa in Salt Lake a couple of days before St. Patrick's Day. I bought a bunch of fabric for holiday pillowcases as Joann was going out of business.

I got my own library card.

April. Once the snow all melted, trail season returned consistently.

The day before Easter, I helped North Salt Lake pull myrtle spurge from Springhill Geologic Park. I made a chocolate carrot cake for Easter. On Easter Sunday, I sang a partial solo of "Were You There?" in church. The day after Easter, I ran up the new Mahogany Ridge Trail to Cave Peak, though I didn't know it was called Mahogany Ridge at the time. I drove to Logan for the Juanita Brooks Utah History Conference.

May. Throughout the month, I enjoyed visiting new trails in Bountiful (Mahogany Ridge and Perrigrine). I went to California to say goodbye to my brother's family before they moved to Taiwan, and I visited a friend in San Francisco. I joined my family on a trip to Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana (and briefly Ontario and Missouri). I enjoyed biking around Mackinac Island. I especially enjoyed our visit to Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. This is an amusement park with areas devoted to Christmas, 4th of July, Halloween, and Thanksgiving—very much something catered to someone like me.

This was a ride where you shoot turkeys

June. I went to the Mormon History Association conference in Ogden, and I even sang in a small choir for the devotional session. I ran up one of the Ogden trails while I was up there. I picked cherries at my sister's house, and I resumed my evening walks to eradicate goathead plants. On Flag Day, I went to the No Kings protest at the University of Utah.

I went to a Juneteenth event in West Valley. At the end of the month, I went to the Gather Conference in Provo, and I wore my flag suit to church.

July. On July 1, I went to the Utah State Capitol for the kickoff events for America250. On July 3, I went to North Salt Lake's annual firework show; I sat on the grass and read The Memory of '76 for a few hours before it started. On the Fourth of July, I ran up North Canyon, made a flag cake, and went on a small hike in the dark at night. On July 5, I went to Salt Lake's first drone show of the month. On July 7 and 8, I drove all over northern Utah to collect the pins for the Utah Historical Society's Pin Quest, and I got all ten!

On Pioneer Day, I went to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum, and I went to Salt Lake's other drone show. At the end of the month, I joined my parents on a UK tour. We flew into Edinburgh and went up to St. Andrews, Scotland, where my mom fell on the ground and almost lost her phone and wallet in the same cemetery where we found her name on a tombstone. 

August. Our tour continued. On August 1, we saw the military tattoo performance at Edinburgh Castle, and the next day, we drove into England. In England, we went to the Lakes District, Kendal, Haworth, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Bath, Oxford, Broadstairs, and more. We also briefly visited Wales. Our trip ended in Canterbury, which was one of my highlights.

Canterbury Cathedral

Once I got home, fall food reviews began.

September. On Labor Day, September 1, I took my parents to Park City's Miners Day; they were underwhelmed. We went to Wasatch Mountain State Park, which is always a lovely fall camp. I went to Green River's Melon Days and went swimming and paddleboarding in the Green River. I went to the Faith Matters Restore Gathering. On my birthday, I went on a lovely run in North Canyon. 

October. I saw a local performance of Little Shop of Horrors. I went to one session of general conference in person; unfortunately, it was the session with Elder Rasband's Family Proclamation talk. I went on several trails I don't go on as often. I went on a business trip to Albuquerque for the Western History Association conference. 

Rio Grande

November. I started the month with a fourteen-mile trail run, and I went on other enjoyable runs throughout the month, since it was warm and dry, including one to the cabin high above Bountiful. I went to Antelope Island with a friend from India. 

I went to three Friendsgivings in a row; at one of them, I presented the history of Thanksgiving.

December. I went to North Salt Lake's underwhelming unveiling of a new mural. My work had a holiday party at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. I won my work's Utah history holiday sweater contest because I made it look like Antelope Island. My nephew Preston came to visit for Christmas and married his wife, Claire.

Because it was unseasonably dry and warm, I ran up North Canyon on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

I'm hoping 2026 will be better—even though I don't know that it will be.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Week

Usually, the last Sunday of the year, I do a year-in-review post, so then my post about Christmas is after the New Year. I still plan on a year-in-review post, but I had some extra time to do a non-Sunday Christmas post. 

This was the view from my window as I began work on Monday morning.

On Monday evening, my family went downtown to see my aunt's family, who were in town. I sat by my cousin Krishelle's youngest, Kelson, who I met this past spring. He was playing on his cousin's phone, and when the cousin went to get food, Kelson said to me, "Do you have any games on your phone?" I told him, "I don't have any games on my phone. But I can show you what I do have." So then I showed him the picture of us from May. 

Then he started looking at other pictures on my phone. He said, "How do you delete pictures?" I said, "Are you going to delete my pictures!?" He responded, "No! Just the ones I don't like."

On Tuesday, my family once again went downtown, this time to donate at the Giving Machines and look at lights. It's amazing how much the Giving Machines have grown over the last eight years. I donated a tree.

Then Wednesday was Christmas Eve. I did some early shopping for last-minute groceries, and then I wanted to do something I have never done on December 24 before: I ran up North Canyon. This is the first time I have ever been trail running on Christmas Eve, and it's crazy that it was one of the higher-elevation trails. When I got to the parking lot, I was the only one there.

I ran up the new Mahogany Ridge Trail to Cave Peak, where I saw some friendly mountain bikers, and we discussed how weird it was to be out there on Christmas Eve. Then I kept going up Mahogany Ridge to the main North Canyon Trail. But I didn't go to Rudy's Flat, because it was covered in snow and ice that looked too slippery for my tastes.

Though I'm sad and worried about the lack of snow, it was a lovely run—basically a perfect day for it.

In the afternoon and evening, I made pomegranate guacamole and "wrapped" my presents in Christmas pillowcases.

On Christmas morning, I woke up early and made gingerbread pancakes for breakfast. My contribution for our Christmas dinner was a bûche de Noël, or Yule log cake. I got the recipe from my high school French class, and I made it a few times, long before I had much baking experience. This was the worst iteration I have made. It has always been hard; maybe I should find a better recipe?

Not even remotely close to a spiral. I was surprised it turned out as well as it did, since the cake completely fell apart.

We opened our presents. For the last few months, my mom has been going through old photographs and scanning them, so she got us external hard drives with the scans. Here are some of the old pictures. I'm working on not having unkind feelings about myself when I look at them. 

On the right, I'm holding my first cat, Dinah

Halloween in third grade. I put up the Halloween decorations.

In sixth grade, I won the school geography bee, and I got to go to the state competition. But I didn't get very far at state.

Being an uncle twenty years ago

Also, my mom has been going to a ceramics shop recently with her friend, and she made me a beehive cookie jar that I can use for Pioneer Day.

My sister got me some lights for running, and she also got me cat toys—but Reggie hasn't touched them, as far as I know.

Gen Z, though, really stole the show with creative gifts. My nephew Preston and his wife, Claire, made me a t-shirt. Back in 2017, my nephew Franklin coined the nickname Holiday John—so that was my shirt.😆

And my niece Allie gave me holiday-themed Palm Pals, which are very cute, and she hid them for a clever scavenger hunt.

roast turkey, caramel apple, four-leaf shamrock, pot of gold (my favorite), fruitcake

Between opening presents and Christmas dinner, I wanted to go up North Canyon again, my first time on a trail on Christmas Day. My dad hiked up while I ran. This time, enough snow had melted in just a day that I made it to Rudy's Flat. 

I had a gingerbread RXBAR in my mouth

I was sad we didn't have a white Christmas. But I wanted to form memories. On some future snowy Christmas, we'll be able to say, "Remember that crazy Christmas when there was no snow so we went up the canyon?"

We spent time at my sister's/grandma's house playing cards. It was a pretty low-key holiday, which isn't a bad thing.

Then Boxing Day, I only worked a partial day, and I ran up North Canyon again! It was pretty much the same as it was the day before, but there were some new trees that had been blown over. 

And in the evening I put up my New Year's decor. Here I am writing this blog on a Saturday afternoon, regretting that I didn't go running in the break between storminess, feeling that I haven't done anything with my day. Oh well. I don't have to be productive all the time.