We love to ring in the new year with our kids every year and I’d have to say…we have a blast! As our kids get older, we invite their friends, too, so everyone is having a good time.
Create traditions and memories for your children, they don’t want to miss out on all the fun! Get these thoughts scripted on paper. Your January Goal, section in your Planner Perfect, planner, holds these plans beautifully.
I am going to share with you what our family does every year…maybe this will give you some inspiration or a springboard for your own ideas. Hurry! It’s not too late to plan a great New Year Eve countdown for your family with fun food and games.
And the magic all begins with your Planner Perfect planner!
Plan to go to a matinee.
Make a memory and go to a matinee before the evenings festivities. I realize that this can be costly…save up! Have a money jar and save all year if you have to and label the jar, New Years Movie; it’s something the kids and you can look forward to all year-long.
Have traditional New Years Eve foods and snacks.
Our traditional foods are: pizza, cheese and chocolate fondue and sparkling juice to ring in the New Year! Strawberry Bellinis for me and the hubby…you must check out this recipe!
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| you can make these tasty pizza bites…they’re perfect for any party |
I make my pizza sauce and dough before the movies and have all the toppings prepped before we go. When home from the movies, it is ready for me to create pizzas, easily, for my hungry family.
For the chocolate fondue, click here for my recipe.
Do a craft.
We take time out after the movies and while our pizza is in the oven to make our party hats and glasses. Keep it fun, easy, and not too messy, for quick clean up.
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| click here for more craft ideas for New Years I found, here. |
Everyone write out their New Years goals for the upcoming year.
I got this idea from one of my favorite Family Fun Party, books, and just love this idea and is a big hit.
Have everyone write their goals for the upcoming year on a sheet of paper. Some can share, or keep it to themselves. Store them in your stockings and pack away with your Christmas decor until next year. Did you succeed at your goals? It will be fun to reveal last years hopes and dreams next Christmas!
Play games.
We love, love, to play games. Now having a large family that include big and little kids can be a challenge, but we’ve learned a couple tricks as to keep everyone having a blast.
Play Wii games the whole family can get into.
We love to do this and the little ones can get in on the action, too.
Play charades or Pictionary.
We have a big chalkboard wall in our kitchen. We play Pictionary using it and it’s a lot of screaming fun. But no worries, the traditional way is just as fun.
Watch last years home movies.
This is so fun to do. I cry with laughter, joy, and a little bit of sadness as my babies are all growing up. I remember watching two of my kids (older now at age 15 and 18) say in there new pajamas, “Happy New Year!”
I wanted to kick the t.v. over! I couldn’t stand watching them talk into the video camera doing the same traditions we’ve always done all these years later. Sweet, sweet, memories…
Be ready for the ball to drop.
Have pots and pans, little poppers, horns, kids put on their newly crafted hats and glasses and you could even fire off some left over fireworks to celebrate at the stroke of midnight.
The next morning our home always looks like a there had been one crazy blast of a party. Tipped over soda cans, confetti thrown everywhere and in every nook and cranny, left over sparkling grape juice that were sipped in wine glasses, and half eaten chocolate-dipped pretzels, all left as if to mock us.
But you know what?
Another memory was made; ringing in the New Year with my family.
Happy New Years, friends!
Jenny, I've missed you! 🙂 Thanks for the great ideas! Going to give this a whirl!
Susan M.
New Mexico