How to Start a New Year's Day Massage Tradition

New Year's Day is your first chance to start the New Year right. Why not start a New Year's Day tradition of getting a massage every year? You'll relax and begin the New Year on a positive note.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• What you will wear in the massage, such as undergarments
• What you will wear after the massage such as a robe or towel and slippers

Find a Massage Therapist

1. Find a spa that is open on New Year's Day or a massage therapist willing to pay a home visit. Try looking on the internet searching 'New Year's Day massage New York, New York' (or your hometown).

2. Call to make sure of availability on New Years Day.

3. Decide what type of massage you want. You can research this online, by typing 'massage therapy types' or something similar and pulling up articles or sites. One source is listed at the end of this article.

4. Make sure you understand what each type of massage is like. A deep tissue massage works more into the muscles and is better for sports players or those with a minor injury or sore muscles. A Swedish massage is aimed at increasing the flow of energy through the body and works through long strokes over superficial muscles. Hot stone massage is geared at relaxing the muscles so that more pressure may be applied, and is great for tension.

5. Make a reservation with the spa or massage therapist for the New Year's day massage, indicating your choice of massage.

Get the New Year's Day Massage

6. Get together anything you want to have with you for the massage, from the items listed in 'things you'll need.'

7. Travel to the spa or wait for the massage therapist to arrive to your home.

8. Have on what you will wear for the massage as well as an outer robe or towel.

9. 
   Relax for your massage...

   Relax and enjoy your massage.

Tips & Warnings

• Make plans to relax the rest of the day after your massage. Have dinner already organized or pick up some take out. Don't ruin your relaxation by having too many things planned after the massage.
• This year, is just about you getting a New Year's day massage. You could decide to get others involved in the new tradition, such as your wife or husband and your family. Of course, you might just want to keep this as something for yourself.
• Plan ahead what you will wear in the massage. If you're really uncomfortable, you may wish to wear a bathing suit.

Resources

• Types of massage therapy

[Wellness4Work]

on 1/6/2008 Great idea! Great way to organize your thoughts!

[GloBuono]

on 1/2/2008 Why didn't I think of this? I and a few friends did this before Christmas. I like the idea of doing it on New Years Day. Going to the gym on New Years is just too much. Thanks for sharing.

[grouch]

on 12/28/2007 A spa what a wonderful tradition to start. Too bad they could not give a massage on christmas eve after hours with the in laws.