serendipity day

Today is Serendipity Day, aka Serendipity Do-Da, aka Do-Da Day.

You would probably like an explanation.

If you didn’t see the movie Serendipity, then not to be bossy? But you really need to go ahead and do that. It’s all about fate and destiny and energy and has some awesome New York scenes. Even if you did see it, you probably didn’t pick up on the fact that Jonathan and Sara meet on December 20. I’m obsessive about those sorts of details, so I totally did. And immediately made a note that December 20 will always and forever be known as Serendipity Day.

When they meet, Jonathan and Sara are in Bloomingdale’s trying to grab the same pair of gloves. You know how sometimes you meet someone and there’s this instant, amazing connection? That’s what happens to them. So of course they can’t just go their separate ways. They have to go to Serendipity 3 (which is only a few blocks away – love the accuracy) for frozen hot chocolates. And then they go ice skating in Central Park. It’s one of those magical New York nights, filled with excitement and possibility.

But then.

When Jonathan writes down his number for Sara, the wind blows it away. She thinks it’s a sign that they’re not meant to be together. Or at least, not right now. She’s all about fate and destiny. So she makes him write his name and number on the back of a five-dollar bill, which she immediately uses to buy mints. Sara’s idea is that if the five-dollar bill makes its way back to her, then they’re meant to be together.

Good, right?

If you’ve read Something Like Fate, you can understand why I love this movie. I love it so much that my friend Joe and I celebrate Serendipity Day by reenacting the original Serendipity Day’s events. First, we put our names in at Serendipity. There’s usually a three-hour wait for a table. I’m not exaggerating. Around the holidays, is it a gorgeous winter wonderland in there, all sparkly lights and trees and tinsel. Everyone wants in. But it’s cool because we need those three hours for the rest of the events. We head over to Bloomingdale’s, where we both grab a pair of gloves at the same glove counter. That counter doesn’t have gloves anymore so we have to bring the gloves over, but it still counts. Then it’s off to Wollman Rink in Central Park. It is always the Coldest Night Ever when we do this. I don’t know how to ice skate, so we kind of just stand there and watch the glittery skyline and send positive energy out into the Universe.

Then it’s frozen hot chocolate time! In the movie, Jonathan and Sara get red and blue straws in theirs. But we always get regular straws. So I asked about the red and blue ones and found out that they don’t have those anymore. But those frozen hot chocolates are the best in the world, so who cares? If Joe and I are each at a point in our lives where we’re single, we take out a five-dollar bill and write our name and number on the back. Then we give them to the waiter as part of his tip. Not that anyone ever called us. But that’s not the point. The point is that we put our energy out there. The city is magic. It makes magical things happen.

So. How can you celebrate the Do-Da Day if you’re not here in New York? Well, if you’re already with your soul mate, you can make frozen hot chocolates and call it a day. But if you are still searching, send positive energy out into the Universe today. Take some time to write in your journal. Visualize what you want life to be like with your soul mate. And make a plan to take steps towards finding them. All of these things will help you get closer to turning your dream into reality.

Oh, and P.S.? Serendipity is also home of the $1,000 Golden Opulence Sundae, served in a Baccarat crystal goblet (which you get to take home), made with the world’s most expensive chocolate, and covered in 23K edible gold leaf:

Happy Serendipity Day!