Celebrate the New Year at Home
New Year’s Eve is definitely known as one of the biggest “party holidays.” But if you’re not a party person or you’d just rather spend the build-up to the New Year at home, there are still tons of things you could do to make the night memorable!
You might not be a New Year’s partier, or it might be that you invited your friends over, or even that you need to wake up early the next morning. There are so many ways to see out the old year and welcome in the new, from the comfort of your own home.
Here is a list of 9 fun ideas for celebrating New Year’s Eve at home with your friends and family! You don’t have to go out to have a great time.
New Year’s Eve Expectations
New Year’s Eve is traditionally a great excuse to get together with family and friends. The week straddling the 31 December is perhaps the best time in the whole year to book a group getaway. Not only are there bank holidays and festive time off to make the most of, but the whole country is alive with fantastic events to suit all tastes.
It’s the one night of the year that is celebrated worldwide. There’s too much pressure – we need to have ALL our friends around us, it needs to be busy but not too busy (so we can actually get to the bar) and we ideally need that special someone to kiss at midnight…
So, to relieve some of that stress, we’ve come up with a few alternative suggestions you can do at home, that will have you sailing into the New Year stress-free and hangover free (joke, there is of course alcohol involved).
9 New Year’s Eve Ideas to Try at Home
Discover some fun ideas to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home. Even if you’re spending New Year’s Eve in the comfort of your own home, you can still celebrate the 365 days that have passed in a joyful way!
Host a New Year’s Eve Dinner Party
We’ve all seen that scene in The Holiday (and if you haven’t, the gif is above). Where they’re dancing around in their finest black tie, listening to big band music and twirling each other delightfully around. Basically having the time of their lives. This is what we envisage a NYE dinner party to be like.
The reality can often be very different. If you don’t plan this carefully, it’ll just end up being you and four of your mates, sitting around drinking warm Prosecco out of tea mugs and fighting over which song to play next on Spotify… a very bleak prospect.
However, done correctly it can be lovely; organise a prolonged dinner with several courses, prosecco in REAL champagne glasses (or wine glasses at least), dress up real nice and maybe listen to some jazz, not the Arctic Monkeys.
Countdown Bags to Open Hourly
Creating fun-filled New Year’s Eve countdown bags have everything you need to countdown to the New Year! The great thing about these adorable New Year’s Eve countdown bags is that they can be used with family and kids, a group of friends, or just you and your spouse! The possibilities are endless!
Make a bunch of small bags filled with goodies, and open one at each hour mark. This keeps the night interesting and you always have something to look forward to while waiting for annual fireworks.
Your guests will be surprised to find a fun activity inside to celebrate the New Year! It’s so quick and easy and everyone is sure to love it! See the DIY tutorial here.
Create a Fancy Bar
If you’re into fancy alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, making your own personal bar might be really fun! Stock up on a ton of special ingredients to make luxurious drinks and then play bartender for the night!
No other drink seems better suited to a celebration than Champagne. When those special moments arrive, you’ll want to make sure you know how to open and serve this special beverage. And of course, assign a few guests to bring Champagne for the traditional midnight toast!
If you ask us, there’s no better way to ring in the New Year than at home surrounded by good friends, fabulous food and delicious drinks. Cheers to that!
Dedicated Movie Marathon
A big bash in not the only way to bring in the New Year. One of the best alternatives is snuggling up in your bed, wearing your most comfortable pyjamas, and having a movie marathon. Of course, with a big bucket of popcorn. Whether you want to watch a classic comedy, heart-warming romance, or enduring drama, a movie night doesn’t mean you have to give up on the festivities altogether.
If that’s what you plan to do this New Year’s Eve, then here are some movies that ring in the New Year best!
New Year’s Eve (2011)
This ensemble comedy is chock full of movie stars. Watch them race the clock to find love and peace in the Big Apple on New Year’s Eve. Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele get stuck on an elevator. Sarah Jessica Parker feuds with daughter Abigail Breslin before a romantic meet-up with Josh Duhamel. Seth Meyers and Jessica Biel are having a baby and Jon Bon Jovi needs to kiss and make up with Katherine Heigl. The kicker is the sweet courtship between Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron. Happy endings abound!
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
In one of the infamous 1970s disaster spectacles, a tidal wave hits a cruise ship right during the big New Year’s Eve gala. The boat capsizes and that’s when the party really gets rolling. Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, and Shelly Winters fight to reach the surface and set things right again. But it’s a dangerous journey through the underbelly of the giant ship. The 2006 remake, Poseidon, also sets the big disaster right on New Year’s Eve!
Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001)
There’s nothing more romantic (and crazy!) then Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones tearing out into the snowy night in nothing but knickers and a sweater to chase down her love interest Mr.Darcy, played by Colin Firth. The couple meet on New Year’s Day, and fully annoy each other, but by the time the next holiday rolls around they’re declaring their love and kissing in the street. Bridget Jones’ Diary is also one of the most romantic movies even non-romantics can appreciate.
A Quiet Night In
If heading out into the chilly streets with thousands of others isn’t your idea of fun, why not stay in and keep the celebrations low key? Cosy in the comfort of your own home, you can snuggle into the sofa in front of the fire, watching the action on TV.
Throw in a few board games, a good book and a tasty winter warmer meal and you’ve got all the ingredients for a perfect night in. For some folks, a nice evening alone with their honey is the best way to celebrate the holiday that most people go all-out on in groups.
If you’ve got young children, make sure they’re all tucked up in bed nice and early, stick some relaxing tunes on the hi-fi and get ready to see in the New year in an understated yet romantic fashion.
Get Creative with a Themed Party
This time around, ring in the new year right by hosting a fabulous party at home — a themed extravaganza that you and your friends will never forget. Or, even if you do forget it, you’ll have known it was a night well spent.
Whether you want to have a classy New Year’s with a black and white ball or Hollywood-themed bash — or if you want to keep things cheesy with an old-school decade party — there’s a cool New Year’s party theme for you here.
A popular themed party for New Year’s Eve seems to be Great Gatsby. The decorations, food, music, and attire should all match your chosen theme in order to make it legit. But what better way is there to bid adieu to one year and welcome another than with a massive party?
Girly Night In
If you’re planning on inviting people over to your house for New Year’s, shake it up and add in some girly treats. If you have speakers, a microphone, and a computer, this is such an easy way to have a fun New Year’s Eve.
Whether you jam out to some Christmas songs, or the best pop songs of the year, karaoke is a great icebreaker and a fun way to get in a mix of seriously making music, or just messing around and being silly with friends.
Photo booths are another easy and fun way to have a good night. All you need is some kind of backdrop, props, and a camera. If you’re looking to create more of a professional looking booth, special New Year’s Eve props can be found at many party stores, as well as online.
Have a Friendly Competition Games Night
Arrange an evening of hilarity with some fantastic games to see in the New Year with laughter. A group night in with plenty of communal space is the perfect location.
This is a great option for families because it consists of playing everyone’s favourite games! Whether you decide to make it a board game night, a Wii game night, or maybe even a mix of the two, having a little friendly competition is always fun.
Here are a few examples you could play:
Heads Up
You may have seen it in Inglourious Basterds. Each person writes down the name of a famous person on their piece of paper and then passes the paper face-down to the person to their right. Without looking, everybody sticks the paper to their forehead. Then, you each take turns asking each other yes or no questions to try to determine who’s on your forehead.
Charades
Charades is the original party game; I shouldn’t have to explain how it works to anyone. Knock it all you want, but there’s a reason it’s been around since the 18th century. Depending on the size of your party, you can either divide your guests into small or large groups. If you have a really big party, you can take the guests that want to play into another room for the fun.
Two Truths and a Lie
This is the ultimate ice breaker and the perfect beginning to your New Year’s Eve party. This probably only works if your guests don’t know each other very well — or I guess it could also work if you go with very obscure facts about yourself. Either way, it’s a good way to get to know everyone a little better.
Never Have I Ever
Listen, this game can be family friendly — for instance, I’ve never broken a bone. (That’s our go-to, by the way.) But fair warning: once somebody takes it past PG territory, there’s usually no going back.
Go to Bed Early and Sleep
This is the option for those of you who really could care less about the New Year. When it comes to getting the best start to the New Year, most people would be in agreement that it doesn’t involve hangovers and spending the day in misery.
No, the true sign of a new year getting off to the right start is by being able to get up refreshed and taking some steps to a newer, better you. If you go to bed early on New Year’s Eve, you can get to the gym and stake your claim before it’s taken over by those on the “get in shape bandwagon”.
And by the time you finish working out on the first day of 2018, there will be plenty of time left over to do whatever your heart desires! It’s just another night, so may as well go to sleep at a reasonable hour! See you in 2018!
Thoughts?
So, if you haven’t decided your New Year’s plans already and are stuck for ideas – we hope that we’ve given you some ideas to think about. We’re sure you’ll find something to take away the sick feeling in your stomach. Which only leaves you looking forward to the year ahead that the New Year brings…
Interested in New Year’s Resolutions? Take a look at ours! Or need some New Year’s Eve party ideas? We’ve got you covered!
What are your ideas for celebrating New Year’s Eve at home? Do you go out on New Year’s Eve or prefer to stay home? Let us know in the comments below and then share this article with your friends!
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