Champagne & Roses started in 2009, with Portland dancers (who later moved to Seattle) throwing a big damn house party to ring in the New Year, which would ignite a new tradition. And it has traded with Seattle every year since, our sister event named Champagne & Emeralds, and has rotated through different organizers over the course of the last 10 years. We are honored to be ringing in the new decade and carrying this tradition on.
Besides the typical tradition of counting down and toasting on New Year’s Eve, Champagne & Roses started another tradition, which is exchanging roses for kisses. Over the last decade our community has grown and adapted its consent practices, so the exchanging of roses tradition has grown along with us in order to be more inclusive and empowered as a practice. This year around midnight on New Year’s Eve we’ll bring out roses again and we ask everyone to be mindful of any updates we’ve made to the exchange of roses so we can all enjoy ourselves:
*Folks can approach another person and offer them a rose: e.g. “Would you like a rose?”
*Folks can also make a request for some sort of connection: e.g. “I’d love to exchange some sort of sweet gesture, do you want to hug or high five or something?” or “I would really like to kiss you, is that something you would enjoy?”
*The person receiving the request responds with an answer or counter proposal: e.g. “No.” or “I would love that!” or “I would be up for you kissing me on the cheek if that sounds good to you.”
*Folks are encouraged to take time to check in with themselves about what feels true and good to them in that moment. Also do not assume that consent to something in one moment means that person will want to engage in that way with that person again or with someone else in that way.
*Please respect each other’s “No”s and do not pressure or try to convince someone to engage with you. If someone seems uncomfortable, avoidant, or distant it is likely a sign that they are not interested.
*There will be mardi gras beads available for anyone who does not want to be approached with a rose, so if you see someone wearing mardi gras beads do not offer them a rose and help inform others not to offer a rose as well.
*Be mindful of how power imbalances and alcohol impact and influence consent and if you’re unsure of whether your actions could make someone uncomfortable or if you feel unsafe/uncomfortable, feel free to check in with an Emotional Support Team member.
Pictures Through the Years
A special thanks to Andrew Smith for sharing his pictures!