We don’t always drag a mattress into the living room, but when we do it’s probably New Year’s Eve. We started the tradition after the birth of our second daughter. She arrived on December 17 via C-section, so that first New Year’s Eve as a family of four became less about watching the ball drop and more about creating a space for me to plop. Our toddler thought it was the best night ever as we all snuggled on our makeshift bed and watched a movie before ringing in the New Year at 9:14 pm. Quite the party animals, I know.
Becoming a parent often changes how we celebrate a holiday. And, Mom, December 31 is the one day of the year everyone will cheer if you drop a ball! So, go ahead and drop the ball (and have one, too!) with these 15 New Year’s Eve ideas for families.
Counting Down the Hours
1. Pop in the New Year – Inflate and label balloons for your countdown. At specific intervals, pop a balloon starting with 10, then 9, 8, 7, 6. You get the idea. Keep going until midnight (or your version of 12 am). New Year’s Eve ideas for families can end at 8 pm, 9:14 pm, or 12 am.
2. It’s 12 O’clock Somewhere – Celebrate multiple New Year’s countdowns by following different time zones worldwide. As you reach the New Year in each time zone, mark the moment in a way they celebrate in that part of the world, like dropping ice cream on the floor (Switzerland) or carrying an empty suitcase (Columbia).
3. You Got This New Year In the Bag – Grab paper lunch bags and number them for your countdown. In each
bag, add a little treat, like a noisemaker or party hat, or an activity, such as a printable or 100 Hilarious Jokes for Kids to use in a joke off! Open one bag per hour as you count down.
4. Go Bag In Time – Similar to #3, label paper lunch bags. Assign each family member a bag and the instruct each person to pop in a memento from the year. It could be a photo, an entry band from that amusement park, or the name of the song you played on repeat during the summer.
Looking Back and Dreaming Forward
5. These Are the Good Ol’ Days – Remember when we….? What was the name of the restaurant that served spam sushi? Can you believe we walked all the way to the top? As you mark the end of the year, share stories of your favorite memories from the past 12 months.
6. Be a Visionary – Pull out paper and magazines or catalogs. Grab the stickers, glue, tape, and markers, too. Lead family members to create their vision for the New Year by cutting out pictures, words, or phrases and gluing them to make a collage. Take a moment to talk about each person’s creation.
7. Save Time in a Capsule – Plan ahead by creating a family time capsule to be opened next New Year’s Eve. Keep it simple by using this New Year’s Time Capsule printable. And, hey, if you did this last year, go ahead and open it!
8. When You Wish Upon a Jar – Ask each family member to make a New Year’s wish for themselves and each
person in the family. Write each wish down and put it in a jar. Seal it up for next year! If this was one of the New Year’s Eve ideas for families you tried last year, unseal your jar and see which dreams came true!
9. That’s a Questionable Idea – At dinner, ask each family member these seven questions to relive the past year.
Game On!
10. I’m Board – Set up a board game in each room of your house. Then go from room to room playing a game, declaring a winner, and tallying up points for one Grand Prize Winner of the Year!
11. Guess the Resolution – Each person writes down 5 to 10 New Year’s resolutions or things they want to try in the next 12 months. Put everyone’s resolutions in a bowl, mix them up, and then read them out individually. Everyone takes turns guessing who wrote what.
12. New Year’s Eve Obstacle Course – Create a course with holiday-themed challenges. For example, toss balls in a Times Square-themed bucket. Limbo under a “Happy New Year” Banner. Write common New Year’s resolutions on pool noodles and set them up as hurdles to jump over. This is one of those New Year’s Eve ideas for families you can run as a relay race or let the person with the best time win.
13. Resolution Charades – Exercise. Eat vegetables. Spend less time on the phone. Read more books. Write down a list of common resolutions. Then, take turns drawing one to act out for others to guess.
Two More New Year’s Eve Ideas for Families
14. Get Snappy with Each Other – Set up a photo booth with props and good lighting. If you’ve got a teen in the house, put her in charge of this one.
15. I’d Like to Make a Toast – Make mocktails and toast to the New Year. Add small touches like cute little umbrellas, swirly straws, or fresh fruit on the rim as garnish. Try making classic Shirley Temples or serving sparkling grapefruit juice!
What New Year’s Eve ideas for families would you add to the list?
