Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Ideas

You stay up until midnight, pop a champagne bottle, and kiss your beloved. While that may sound like a fairly standard recipe for a fun and festive New Year’s Eve, it may not seem so ideal now that you have children. So how do you make New Year’s Eve a memorable and enjoyable event for your whole family? These seven New Year’s Eve ideas can pack the night with family-friendly fun.

Do the Countdown at Noon

The countdown to the New Year is a beloved tradition, but depending on your children’s sleep schedule, you might not want to keep them up until midnight. That doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy a fun countdown!

Your family can host your own countdown at noon. Sure, the new year is still 12 hours off, but most kids won’t care if you make your countdown fun enough! You might consider including balloons, confetti, party hats, and/or any other supplies you’d use for more traditional nighttime celebrations. When midnight rolls around, your children may already be soundly asleep, freeing you up to enjoy that midnight kiss with your significant other without anyone saying “ewwww.”

Have a Pajama Party

If your whole family is going to stay up to midnight, you might consider treating the evening as a pajama party. Not only can sitting around in your pajamas feel cozy, but if your little ones fall asleep before midnight, at least they’ll be dressed for it! Who needs a party dress when you have footie pajamas?

Have a Movie Night

Watching your family’s favorite movies can make the hours fly. A movie marathon can feel like a big event on its own, but when you pair it with the holiday, the night could be even more memorable.

Create a Festive Ambience

Whatever you choose to do to celebrate the holiday, creating the right ambience can take it to the next level. Decorations don’t need to be expensive. You might pick up streamers and balloons from a dollar store. If you still have Christmas lights inside your house, turning them on can add to the mood.

Host a Dance Party

Your family might not have the endurance to dance the night away, but hosting a dance party can be an energizing way to pass some time and get in the New Year’s Eve spirit. Just select some danceable tunes your family loves and see who has the best moves!

Go Over Highlights of the Last Year

If you’re feeling sentimental, going over the best things that happened in the last year can be a delightful walk down memory lane. Discuss your favorite memories and invite your kids to share their own. You might even consider scrapbooking together to document your favorite photos and memories from the last year.

Snack Around the World

Because of time differences, different parts of the world enter the new year at different times. These time differences create a fun opportunity. With a little research, you can determine when different regions switch years and plan your menu accordingly. For instance, you might serve sushi when Japan enters the new year, samosas when India makes the transition, and croissants when France makes the big switch. This activity could easily become an all-day, snack-tacular marathon.

How does your family celebrate New Year’s Eve? Share your traditions in the comments section below!