Ringing in the New Year is a fun time and can be made even more fun when you celebrate it with family. Even though many people choose to celebrate New Year’s Eve by attending an adult oriented party, there are actually many ways that you can celebrate the season in a more family oriented environment. So, if you are struggling with the decision as to whether you should celebrate New Year’s with your family or to hire a baby sitter, check out these top ten ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve with the family. You CAN have a blast by adding your little ones into the celebrations.
1. Check out a Fireworks Display
Many communities and cities offer a wide range of family oriented activities that you can enjoy with or without your kids. If you don’t live near a location that has a fireworks display, you can either watch some on T.V., or if your city/state allow it, you buy some fireworks of your own and create your own display.
2. Make a Time Capsule
A time capsule is a great way to celebrate the year that has passed and to look forward to the future. You can add things that have made the year special and designate a date to re-examine the contents. Your kids will have a blast making and finding things to be placed in the time capsule and you will have a memory that you will be able to enjoy years later. While you’re at it, do an Annual New Year’s Interview with the kids to put in the Time Capsule. It will be fun to read their responses together when they get older. Our Knight Life has a cute one that you can print.
3. Have a New Year’s Eve Party
Join with other families that have kids and find fun things to do together. Whether you have a dinner or play some games, you are certain to have a lot of fun and your kids will have others their own age to play with as well.
4. Make Decorations
If you are having a New Year’s party, let your kids help with the decorations by making some fun crafts that can be displayed. Not only will this help you get some things checked off your list, but you will be certain to have loads of fun as you prepare for the party to begin.
5. Have a Family Game Night
Not all families are looking for an extravagant event or party to attend. If your family prefers to spend some quite time at home together on New Year’s Eve, there are still some fun ways that you can celebrate together. Take some time to pull out those old board games or play a multi-player video game together.
6. Spend some Quiet Time Outdoors
There’s usually a lot of noise that occurs around the New Year’s Holiday and spending some time outdoors with your family can be relaxing and fun. Some families enjoy the peace and quiet so much that they prefer to go on a camping trip this time of the year. This could be a way to start a new tradition with your family and if you are looking for a little company, there is sure to be others who would make the trip with you.
7. Plan your New Year’s Resolutions or SMART Goals Together
One of the most popular traditions that correspond with the New Year’s celebration is to set up a resolution that you will carry out for the coming year. Planning one with your family can be a great addition to your celebration schedule. Rather than make resolutions, we set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-targeted) Goals. You can use my 2015 SMART Goals and Resolutions printable to record yours.
8. Have a Movie Night
You will need something to keep your kids occupied during the wait for the clock to strike midnight and one of the best ways to do this is to watch a few movies together. Whether you are watching family favorites or holiday classics, this is a fun way to snuggle up together on the couch and enjoy some time together…and some popcorn.
9. Make some Fun Drinks
While most drinks during the New Year’s Eve celebration time are filled with alcohol, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to enjoy a drink or two with your kids. Instead of the alcohol versions, however, opt for some fun kid-friendly drinks that you can put in fun glasses for them to enjoy. There are many of these options available online and are a fun way to keep the tradition of making a toast while still enjoying the company of your kids.
10. Make a Family Craft
Putting something together on New Year’s Eve is a great way to spend some quality time together and to celebrate the year that has passed. One of the best ideas is to create a timeline that shows everything that you enjoyed doing together during the year. This will allow you to reminisce and to look forward to the memories that you will make in the coming year. Another one that I love are these DIY New Year’s Eve Poppers from Spaceships and Laser Beams. So cute!
New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate and what better way to celebrate than spending time with your family. While many people may think that you are missing out on some exciting parties when you avoid adult-themed parties, you will actually be surprised as to how much fun that you can have when you do.
I love this list! We don’t have kids at home, but I can see a lot of things that my husband and I could incorporate to make New Year’s Eve a lot more fun and meaningful!