New Year’s Eve Ideas for Families
Champagne bottles, crystal glasses, caviar… how many of us like to celebrate all fancy like that? Well, in defiance of convention, here are 10 budget new year’s eve celebration ideas that make all the luxury of wealth seem shallow by comparison.
We adore spending time as a family on New Year’s Eve. Make sure and check out these fun ideas for families for NYE!
There are so many festive ways to ring in the New Year, what are some of your favorite NYE celebrations? Of course the NYE parties prior to having kids looks so much different now.
New Year’s Eve Ideas for Families
Checkout 10 festive ideas for New Year’s Eve celebrations that are $$$ friendly and lots of fun!
Reflecting on the Past Year
Before diving into the festivities, take some time as a family to reflect on the past year. Gather around the Christmas tree or a cozy fireplace and share your favorite memories, achievements, and lessons learned.
Encourage each family member to write down a highlight from the last year on a piece of paper. These reflections can be saved as a time capsule to open on future New Year’s Eves, creating a wonderful tradition of reminiscing about the years gone by.
New Year’s Eve Game Free Printable
Something we love to do every New Year’s Eve is play our NYE Questions Game. This is family friendly as well. You can simply download and print this game for some NYE fun! It is a questions game that you can use at the dinner table or sitting around the family.
Enjoy a Free Concert in the Park
This budget new year’s eve celebration idea is all about music. Check out local papers to find out where free concerts will be given in the park. Dress warmly, bring a blanket for sitting on and another for wrapping around you and a special friend, and spend the evening listening to live music beneath the stars.
Catch a Midnight Film
This budget new year’s eve celebration idea is great for film buffs. Find out which movie theater in your area will have a special midnight showing on new year’s eve. In the lobby raise a toast of fizzy drink, then start your new year with a special movie-going experience.
You can also set up a movie night outside if you live in a milder climate. Throw up a white sheet, drop cloth or projector screen and project a movie. Create a popcorn bar with popcorn and fun toppings and candy.
Watch the Fireworks from a Skyscraper
This budget new year’s eve celebration idea shoots you among the stars. Every city has a high building that invites the public to come up for a small fee and watch the fireworks. Watch the city glittering at your feet, then raise a toast as the new year’s eve fireworks explode into glittering flowers against the night’s sky.
Watch the Fireworks from Your Roof
This budget new year’s eve celebration idea requires nothing but a ladder to succeed. If you can hear the city’s fireworks from your home chances are you’ll be able to see them if you get a bird’s eye view. Wearing non-slippery shoes, climb up to your roof and help your friends to follow and settle on the rooftop. Then sit and watch the fireworks like royalty without paying a dime. But don’t drink and climb.
Sleepover Party
If you’re worried about guests driving home from your party after consuming too much alcohol, you can avoid the entire scenario with a good old-fashioned sleepover. This is one of the few New Year’s Eve party ideas that extends the evening, presents a unique environment, and doesn’t jeopardize the safety of your guests. Simply roll out the sleeping bags and air mattresses, and take everyone’s keys as they walk through the door.
If you want to make this event even more original, you can require that all your guests come dressed in their pajamas. Pink bunny slippers, head gear, stuffed teddy bears and flannel pajama bottoms will make this one of your best New Year’s Eve party ideas yet. Even better, you can start the fiesta after dinner so you don’t have to serve anything but snacks, and you can make something easy and inexpensive for breakfast, such as scrambled eggs.
Countdown Bags for All Ages
For families with younger children, planning activities that cater to various age groups can be a challenge. Countdown bags filled with surprises and activities for each hour leading up to midnight are a fantastic way to engage younger kids. Include items like glow sticks, party hats, and confetti poppers for a festive atmosphere. Craft simple games, puzzles, or coloring sheets that cater to both younger and older kids. This not only builds excitement but also ensures that every family member has a role in the countdown to the New Year.
Wine Tasting Party
If you can’t stand the idea of serving bottle after bottle of bubbly, you can add a note of refinement this year with a wine tasting instead of the traditional champagne. Gather bottles of some of your favorite spirits, including both reds and whites, and you’ll find that this is one of the most intimate New Year’s Eve party ideas you’ve ever had.
Even better, you can drink add a touch of New Year’s Eve celebration to this type of party by asking all of your guests to write down their goals for the coming year, be they personal or professional. Collect all of the papers from your guests, then tell them you’ll mail each individual sheet at the end of the year. This New Year’s Eve party idea is best when thrown for close friends and family.
Create a Dance Party Extravaganza
Turn your living room into a dance floor by curating a playlist of your family’s favorite songs. Whether it’s classic tunes or the latest hits, a dance party is a great way to let loose and celebrate the joyous occasion. Clear the furniture, dim the lights, and dance the night away. This energetic and lighthearted activity guarantees a great time for the entire family.
Create Your Own Ball Drop
Bring the iconic Times Square experience into your living room by creating your own ball drop. Craft a colorful and glittering ball using materials like tissue paper, pom-poms, and LED lights. As the clock approaches midnight, lower the homemade ball from a central location, marking the arrival of the New Year with cheers and celebration. This DIY tradition adds a personalized touch to the festivities and can become a cherished family ritual.
Family Time Capsule
Kickstart the upcoming year with a family time capsule. Set up a designated container and encourage each family member to contribute an item that represents their hopes, dreams, or resolutions for the upcoming year. This can range from handwritten letters to small trinkets symbolizing personal goals. Seal the time capsule and vow to open it on the next New Year’s Eve, creating a beautiful tradition that captures the essence of growth and transformation over time.
Poker Night
Some of the best New Year’s Eve party ideas are based on what you and your friends already enjoy. If you get together once a week for poker night, why change tradition as you ring in a new year? Gather all of your poker buddies and put on the best celebration you’ve had all year, with special snacks to enjoy while you play and perhaps a tournament to spice up your game.
Some New Year’s Eve party ideas are just too expensive to undertake, but this isn’t the case with poker night. Instead of buying several bottles of expensive champagne, simply stock the fridge with your favorite beer and perhaps a bottle or two of sparkling cider. This cuts down on the costs, but not the fun.
New Year’s Breakfast
It can be difficult to think up New Year’s Eve party ideas for guests who don’t drink, which is why a New Year’s breakfast is so much fun. Rather than starting the party at nine or ten o’clock at night, ask everyone to arrive around midnight. After the clock strikes the hour, serve a full breakfast feast, complete with orange juice and coffee rather than champagne.
This is one of the best New Year’s Even party ideas because is symbolizes a beginning rather than an end, a celebration of the year to come instead of a funeral for the year gone by. If you plan to have a large group of people attend, simply sit floor pillows all over the living room and serve breakfast there rather than at the table.
Family Traditions and New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s Eve is an excellent time to establish or revisit family new traditions. Whether it’s a special meal, game night, or a specific activity, these traditions create a sense of continuity and connection. Additionally, take the opportunity to discuss and set family New Year’s resolutions. Encourage open communication about individual goals and aspirations, fostering a supportive environment for personal growth within the family unit.
Incorporating these great ideas and fun activities into your New Year’s Eve celebration ensures that the last night of the year becomes a special occasion for the entire family. Whether you’re crafting homemade decorations, dancing the night away, or enjoying delicious finger foods, the key is to create an atmosphere of joy and togetherness.
As the clock strikes midnight and confetti fills the air, take a moment to appreciate the love and connection shared with family members. May your New Year be filled with laughter, love, and the promise of exciting new beginnings. Cheers to a happy and memorable New Year’s Eve for the whole family!
Happy New Year!
