How to Throw a Kid-Friendly New Year's Eve Party at Home

New Year's Eve can sometimes feel like an after thought once the festivities of Christmas are over. But it doesn't have to take too much time & effort, I promise.

Being a homebody, a night at home is my jam. Please allow me to share with you my wealth of introverted wisdom when it comes to making staying in on New Year's Eve extra special.

And there are plenty of ways to include the kids, too!

Get Dressed Up

If you're one of those fashionable people who loves this aspect of New Year's Eve, go for it! Just because you're home or only gathered with a few close friends, you don't have to miss out on the glitzy side of the night. So, steam that sparkly dress & wing out that mascara (is that a thing anymore?) & greet the new year in style!

Also, know that I will be in my comfy clothes, but if you have the energy to get glitzy, tag me in your social media posts! Maybe one year, I'll join you!

Watch Other Cities Ring in the New Year

I know this may come as a surprise, but NYC does not own New Year's Eve! Last year, we looked up different cities around the world on YouTube to watch their celebrations. Now, I don't know how many of these folks are cancelling their festivities this year, but here were some of our favorites from last year.

• Tokyo
• Sydney
• New Delhi
• Dubai
• Paris
• London

I'll probably add Auckland, Hong Kong, Vienna, Rio de Janeiro this year, because I've seen that they have great shows too! My kids really enjoyed this & it helped reinforce some of the geography concepts we've studied in school. It also gives them a sense & appreciation of other cultures & countries.

AND they don't necessarily have to stay up until midnight to see most of these cities. All kinds of good things about this tradition.

Visit Times Square (Virtually)

I just heard about this fun little virtual experience where you can take a trip to NYC from the comfort of your home. Sure, it's not the real thing, but you're not standing in the cold for hours. You also aren't crammed in with thousands of strangers.

Don't Forget -

Decorations!

Banners, hats, noise makers, & confetti poppers - you can order all these fun things online or put in a pick-up order from Target. It costs less than $20 & helps everyone feel a little more festive!

Food!

Finger foods, cheese & crackers, sweets - as simple or complicated as you want to get. Our family really enjoys nights like these where we just have a little tray of food that we munch on while watching a movie. So keep it simple & pop some popcorn or get fancy with some charcuterie! Or (if you're able to have a few guests over) have them all bring their favorite appetizers & hors d'oeuvres.

Drinks!

Now if you know me in real life, you know that I don't drink alcohol. (Long painful stories behind that decision but that's not my story to tell just yet.) But we still like to have something fancier than usually to drink on special occasions. That might be sparkling cider or Zevia or I might even drag out the punch bowl from storage & fill it with something fun (& kid-friendly, of course).

So, even though this year has been nothing like we expected, you don't have to suffer through a boring New Year's Eve.

As usual, I'm always pinning ideas over on Pinterest! Here's my New Year's Eve board.

If nothing else, you can always come up with an epic dance routine like these 2...

Cheering you on!

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