🎉✨ New Year 2026 Celebration
Ring in 2026 with a fresh sprint outlook—celebrate wins, drop old habits, and keep the momentum soaring into the new year!
Template Columns
🚀 Launch New Beginnings
Identify fresh initiatives and practices to kick off the new year.
Base column: Start🛑 End Old Habits
Pinpoint outdated processes or blockers to leave behind in 2026.
Base column: Stop🔄 Keep the Spark
Highlight successful habits and momentum to maintain throughout the year.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
A festive, forward‑looking retrospective that celebrates 2026 wins, drops outdated habits, and reinforces momentum for the new year.
When to use this template
Use at the start of the first sprint of 2026 or after a holiday break when the team is ready to set fresh goals and celebrate recent successes.
How to facilitate
Welcome the team, set a positive tone, and briefly explain the three columns: Launch New Beginnings, End Old Habits, Keep the Spark
Give each participant 3–5 minutes to write individual ideas on virtual sticky notes for each column, focusing on new initiatives, things to stop, and practices to keep
Collect the notes on the shared board, group similar items together, and invite brief clarifying comments
Facilitate a discussion for each column, prioritizing the top three items per column that the team agrees will have the biggest impact in 2026
Create concrete action items for the selected ideas, assign owners and due dates, and close with a quick celebration moment such as a virtual toast
Pro Tips
Use a timer for the silent writing phase to keep energy high and prevent over‑analysis
Encourage participants to phrase ‘End Old Habits’ items as specific blockers rather than vague complaints for clearer actions
Capture the celebration moment with a screenshot or short video clip to revisit at the next retrospective
FAQ
What if the team runs out of ideas for new initiatives?
Prompt them by asking what goals they have for the upcoming quarter or what customer feedback they want to address; you can also seed the board with a few example ideas to spark thinking.
How do we handle disagreements on what to stop?
Facilitate a quick dot‑vote on each ‘End Old Habits’ item; discuss the top‑voted items to understand concerns and reach consensus on the most impactful blockers.
Can this format be used mid‑year?
Yes, the template works anytime you want a celebratory reset; just adjust the framing to focus on the current period rather than the new year.
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At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective