The passing of the old year into the new year has always fascinated me. The thought that it can be 2007 one second and 2008 the next–well, something about that seems nearly mystical.
I was so amazed by this phenomenon that in 1984, shortly before midnight, I took an old pickle jar and scooped it through the air around me. Then I slammed the lid shut, screwed it on tightly, and wound yards of masking tape around the neck. I held in my hands The Year Of Our Lord Nineteen Eighty Four, hermetically sealed for all time. I suppose my 12th year had been a good one, and I thought the day might come when I’d need to go back and sniff it.
I had a very large closet in my girlhood home, the sort of closet where random keepsakes like fire batons and homecoming corsages and jarred air could multiply at will. The air of 1984 gradually became buried under other equally sentimental notions, and it wouldn’t resurface again until shortly before my wedding, in 1994. I was sorting through some old keepsakes, and the old jar rolled out of its place.
I looked at it for a few moments and thought of 1984. I thought of Final Net hairspray and orthodontia and President Reagan and Square Pegs. Smiling at my youthful sentimentality (since I was, by then, a wise old woman of 21), I ripped off the seal and took a sniff. As it turns out, 1984 smelled a lot like pickles.
There’s not really any point to this story, except to laugh and acknowledge that the passing of the year is momentous for those of us with sentimental tendencies. Here’s wishing you many good things (and even better non-things) in 2008. I pray it’s a year so wonderful that you want to stick it in a jar for all time.
Happy new year, friends.
Rocks In My Dryer 
What a great story..and yes I’m laughing…pickles…me and my 2 year old son are eating dill pickle chips right now…..Happy new Year Shannon….I have thoroughly enjoyed reading you this year.
Happy New Year to you. Thanks for all the laughs, insite and tips through this year. Looking forward to more…
Suzanne
“Here’s wishing you many good things (and even better non-things) in 2008. I pray it’s a year so wonderful that you want to stick it in a jar for all time.”
From your lips to God’s ears. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Reading your blog day after day certainly has helped to brighten my year. You go girl, we’re right behind you!
i bet if we sniffed back in time a lot of years would smell like pickles.
here’s hoping the best for you too!
What a beautiful story. Happy New Year!
Love the Jarred air!!! Life holds moment like that — when we just want to bottle the moment, the magic, the memory and hold it for all time. Back at you: “I pray it’s a year so wonderful that you want to stick it in a jar for all time!”
So 1984 smelled like pickles….? I laughed so hard! Thanks!
Great post! Love it!
What a cute story. I am definitely one of those with sentimental tendencies. Happy New Year!
I’m pretty sure if I were to capture the air from 2007 in a jar and open it ten years later, it would smell something like rotten eggs rolled in baby powder.
It’s been a year of ups and downs to say the least! 😉
Happy New Year!
Shannon, thanks so much for always making me laugh! Wishing you and your family a wonderful 2008!
The story was inspired. Thanks. The idea that 1984 smelled like pickles was delightful. Happy New Year to you too. Oh, and God’s blessings be upon you.
Since she was about three, my daughter has said that her sweaty feet smell like pickles. So for us, 1984 would smell like feet.
Happy New Year, Shannon!
You need to publish this in a magazine. It’s really good.
LOL. Happy New Year!
Since I was a much wiser 14 year old, I was using Aqua Net, hot rollers, and entering the world of high school. Aww, good years of the Reagans and just say no to drug campaigns. Memories…..the years of big haired metal bands and Wham and Duran Duran. It was really a decade around hair, wasn’t it.
Laura
I was just singing the theme song to Square Pegs to DH 2 days ago! He thought(thinks) I was crazy!
I didn’t realize that it was only on the air for one season.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year and wishing you many blessings for 2008!
HA! Great story! Happy New year!!!!!
1084 smelled of pickles – rofl
You could have kept it and sold it on e-bay you know.
This is coming from a gal who still has her old Cheech and Chong LPs from 1977.
Happy New Year, Shannon.
LOL!
That is great!
Happy New Year,
Sue
What a fun story! And Fiddledeedee is right…you could have sold that jar on Ebay….probably would go for big bucks!
I used to always send down and read all of my journals from years past in the wanning days of the year. But time for that retrospective sentimentality doesn’t exist anymore.
Being from a family of 5 girls w/very straight, thin hair (well except when it was permed to the max) – I know all about Final Net!
Square Pegs – we enjoyed watching that too. Seems like it was pretty short lived wasn’t it?
I had the urge to do the exact same thing on our last day in Ethiopia this year – bottle the air. But I’m 30!
Happy New Year!
Somewhere along the way I lost my sentimentality for a new year. Maybe I should bottle up 2007 – just for good measure – and someday let C breathe in the year she learned to talk, argue, tantrum, hug me, play pretend, learn to sled, and other various exciting 2 year old things.
She’ll probably just smell pickles 🙂
I think for this year, I’d pick an old used sippy cup to capture 2007. You?
Wishing you the very best new year!
Miss ya girl!
Michelle
You got me – the “pickle smell” is great! I just found your blog, and will certainly be back.
Happy New Year to you, too!
The pickle smell is probably a lot better than other smells of 1984!! I was smelling 1st grade chalk dust, haha…
Happy New Year!
I beg to differ. 1984 smelled like Aqua Net and dirty gym socks.
Happy New Year, Shannon.
Happy New Year to you too, Shannon. It has been a pleasure reading your blog this year.
I’m not sure I was ever so sentimental that I wanted to save a year, but if I had, I am pretty sure it wouldn’t have been in a pickle jar. 🙂
Happy happy New Year to you and your family. I am looking forward to a GREAT 2008!
TM
What a wondrous story! I loved it…let’s hope 2008 also smells like pickles, or at least feels worthy of having some of its air bottled up.
Loved this post. I think 1984 would have smelled, for me, like mountains and fjords and rain (I lived in Norway at the time).
I’m older than you! I turned 16 in 1984!
Happy New Year! 🙂
Oh, yes! I used to bring sand home from every beach trip and keep it in airplane barf bags. My mom was pleased to find those in 1997. Love the post! Happy New Year!
Now swooping a jar through the air is definitely an original…I tried the same thing but with dirty socks…didn’t turn out quite as romantic. Heavy sigh.
Happy New Year!
You are such a great writer. I’m glad I found your blog last year, and I’m looking forward to more in 2008!
Happy New Year!!!
Come share what has happened in your life!!!
http://blog.handmadebycole.com/2007/12/this-last-year.html
Thanks for sharing your year with us! May God continue to bless you and your family in the new year!
Oh you are such a sentimental girl – trying to hold on to the air of the past and capture the years of youth. I love it – I wish I had thought of it. Except I’d take a cleaned out bottle of baby powder and capture the last year of having babies. And I’m guessing it will still smell good 10 years from now!
Beautiful post!
That is too funny. Sounds like something I would do…and I think we are about the same age too cause I remember all that stuff!! Have a Happy New Year!!!
Have a great 2008 from Northern Ireland Shannon – we have only 1 hour to go…… better go get my jar filled quick 😉
Blessings
I LOVE this. Happy New Year!
Truly loved your sharing of the ‘pickling of 1984’…as I read this, I thought that is something I would have done as well. 84 was a good year for 14 year olds too. 🙂
Sentiments and all – wishing you a joyous 2008!
Laura in Atlanta
Loved your post! I was 12 in l984, too. For me there was a lot of drama, pain, heartache, depression and pre-teen crap, which, yes, includes endless visits to the orthodontist and the dermatologist! But there were also wonderful things like Duran Duran, jelly shoes, wavy bracelets, mini skirts, and my beautiful red sweater that was just like Princess Diana’s, covered with lots of white sheep and one single black one!
Oh, how the years get better and better as an adult!
Thanks for the laugh. Happy New Year! I’ve seem to have spent the last moments of 2007 and the first moments of 2008 packing…put that’s just fine with me…and a bit symbolic too.
You have such a beautiful way with words! Happy New Year to you also… and may you too have many more years that are so wonderful that you would like to preserve some of the air from them, for all posterity.
With love~ Pearl
Happy New Year to all! What a great posting, Shan. Makes me wish I had had the GRANDS blow in jars this year as presents on the eve of their marriages. Beats snowflakes, I think 😉
Love y’all bunches….. Gego
I’m so glad I can start out 2008 by singing the Square Pegs theme song.
Square Pegs, Square Pegs, Square, Square..PEGS!
I’d like it if they’d like us, but I don’t think they like us…
Happy New Year
That was a delightful story – thank you for sharing!
Love this post!