The year is winding down. New Year’s Eve is not only around the corner but also lurking behind New Year’s Eve every holiday party, every gift guide and every end-of-year to-do list.
If you’re stressed about what to do for New Year’s Eve, might we suggest you try something a little less typical and instead embrace some untraditional New Year’s Eve celebrations?
Who said NYE must involve a glamorous party with glitter and champagne and awkward run-ins and anxiety about the kiss at midnight? Who says you must be at a crowded party fighting to stay awake until the clock strikes twelve?
Sure, New Year’s is an opportunity to be festive and merry, kiss last year’s goodbye, and kick off 2023 with a bang, but why must that so-called bang involve a cliché party you don’t want to go to?
This year let’s embrace some less-traditional celebration ideas. Let’s just say no to overpriced drinks and gatherings you feel obligated to go to and instead turn to some more fun, more creative, and more (gasp!) relaxing options to help you ring in the New Year. These tips and celebration inspirations will take your New Year’s Even from dreaded disappointment to festive fun in no time.
Host a Game Night
Games can be interactive, silly, fun, and even make you think. Have friends over and host a game night, which can be as competitive as you want. Obviously, there will be food and drinks as well, which always help turn friendly competition into wild shenanigans. Choose a few of your favorite games and try to mix them up with different types of games, so there is something for everyone. For an added bonus, set up a point system and award prizes to the winners.
Make it a Movie Night
Turn off the lights, cozy up on the couch, break out the popcorn (and bubbly, of course), and have a movie marathon with your favorite films and favorite friends or family members. You could theme the night — classic Hollywood films, award-winning movies, best rom-coms of all time, holiday flicks, pee-in-your-pants comedies, etc. Pick your mood and let the professionals entertain you tonight, rather than binging on year-in-review content that can sometimes be downright blah.
Volunteer and Give Back
One of the best ways to spend time as you transition to a New Year is to give back. Soup kitchens, nursing homes, hospitals, and pet shelters need help and support, and they don’t close for holidays.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the chaos of the holidays and the endless celebrations, but don’t forget the power of helping others – volunteering not only makes others happy, but it also boosts your mood, reduces loneliness, helps with social relationships, and reduces depression.
Have a Cooking Competition
If you’re a fan of baking shows or cooking contests, set up your own cooking competition with some teams of friends or loved ones. This way, you’ll take some of the cooking literally off your plate and make the food prep more fun and interactive. You can have each team make a different course or have everyone make their own spin on a favorite dish and then judge favorites as you all eat. Or, if you’d rather have the baking done ahead of time, have everyone bring an unmarked dessert and have blind voting on favorites. The winner gets a prize (and bragging rights until the next NYE).
Spend the Day and Night Adventuring Outside
Get outdoors, take a walk, go for a hike, explore somewhere new, or try a new outdoor activity. At night, go stargazing or build a campfire. Just because it’s winter and cold in many places around the country does not mean you can’t get some fresh air, clear your mind, appreciate nature, and reset yourself mentally and emotionally with a fun outdoor adventure. After all, the benefits of time outdoors are endless, ranging from improved sleep to better heart health, reduced depression, and boosted energy.
Have a Sleepover Party with Your Kids
Who says kids need to be left out of the New Year’s Eve fun? Instead of a swanky party out, stay home and involve the kids. Have a slumber party where you all snuggle up in sleeping bags on the floor, rock your PJs, dance around the house, and get festive together. You can do karaoke, and art projects, write down your favorite memories from the past year, and talk about goals for the future. You can prepare a late-night snack together as you watch the ball drop and then snuggle up together as you kiss 2022 goodbye and gear up for an even better 2023.
