For as long as I can remember our New Year’s Eve celebrating has been a family affair. When my parents were younger we would all gather at their home with all of our spouses and our children. We’d bring lots of food and drink and we would play games until well after we rang in the New Year. Now the tradition is a little different and we usually celebrate New Year’s Eve at our own home with our children and our friends and their families but it’s still a family affair and kid friendly. Here are some of my favorite New Year Celebration Ideas For Family Fun!
10 New Year Celebration Ideas:
1. Make Everything Sparkle
Decorate your home for the occasion! Kids LOVE a reason to decorate the house (or at lease mine do). Make the house sparkle with gold and silver decor. Balloons, streamers, glitter, dazzling dinnerware (the paper and plastic kind of course), and other party decor. Don’t forget some party favors too. If you still have your Christmas tree up you could consider taking some of the Christmas ornaments off and decorating them with a New Year’s theme! Do some fun New Year’s crafts to use as decorations.
2. Stock Up On Party Favors
Whether you decide to buy or make them, party favors are key to a great celebration. There are lots of great ideas out there to make your own noise makers and poppers to shoot confetti and glitter. This tutorial from Danya Banya for DIY Glitter Party Poppers is adorable! You can also make party hats and crowns or props for a fun photo booth that is sure to be a hit with your kiddos and grown-up guests too.
3. Get Dressed Up
Another of my new year celebration ideas is to get dressed up because it makes it feel special. You’re not going out on the town. This stay at home party requires your best New Year’s Eve flare and style too! Get dressed up in something fancy and have all the kids dress up too. Or, make the party a theme party and dress accordingly. Go with a certain era…step back in time before stepping into the New Year. Or if you want to keep it super casual, make it a pajama party for everyone involved!
4. Prepare Celebratory Food and Drink
Make kid friendly (and grown-up) snacks and drinks for your party guests. Food and drinks are a key part of a great party, especially on New Year’s Eve. Choose some extra special snacks that you don’t normally prepare for this special occasion like Pizzazzerie‘s amazing Champagne truffles on the half shell. Grab some sparkling juice or ingredients to make sparkling beverages for the kids to ring in the New Year and some champagne for the grown-ups.
5. Make a Flashback Slideshow of the Year
Create a slideshow using photos from the year. Include the year’s happiest moments, special moments, birthdays, vacations, holidays, silliest moments and anything else caught on camera.
6. Make a Time Capsule
Create a time capsule. Include things from the year and close the time capsule up. Date it and write down the date to open. Pretty Providence has a great New Years Time Capsule Printable Questionnaire for Kids. What a great tradition to start as a family! Want more new year celebration ideas? We still have three left.
7. Start a “How Does the Year Measure Up” Tradition
Measure your child’s height on a growth chart, document their weight, take a photo of them in the same place each year or trace their hand prints. Looking at how much a year changes each of us can be quite incredible. Having this documented can be truly priceless! Each year compare to the year before.
8. Have a Photo Booth
Put up a sheet or a large piece of fabric for a back drop and print out some cute props to cut out. There are so many available. Oversized photo frames also make great props. Little ones especially will have a hard time remembering these New Year’s Eve parties from their younger years so photo proof is extra special. Big kids and grown ups love this too. Remember to share them with family and friends who are probably doing the same on Facebook and Instagram.
9. Make Countdown Bags
This is a really great idea that I found from Organize Your Stuff Now. There is a bag for each hour of the party and on the hour you open the bag to find a craft, activity, game, treat, or just something fun to do inside. I’ve seen this idea a lot of different places but these New Year’s Eve Countdown Bags are easy and great!
10. Ring in the New Year
Whether you do it at midnight or at 9pm when your little ones are still up for it, ringing in the New Year is a time for celebration! Make a special drink in a pretty glass for each person and say a few special words. Raise your glasses and toast to the year past and the year ahead. Give each other a kiss (maybe even a chocolate KISS). Make noise with your noise makers and shoot your confetti and glitter!
Celebrating New Year’s Eve with Kids can be a wonderful and memorable time. I hope you enjoy these new year celebration ideas. Which one is your favorite?