For most people New Year's Eve is synonymous with macro parties, gala dinners and sequins. But When you have children, priorities change and the nights of debauchery give way to other types of celebrations that are quieter, but no less fun for that. Because, let's not fool ourselves, being a mother / father changes you a lot! But that does not mean that we cannot celebrate and celebrate. In fact, celebrations with children are a wonderful opportunity to recover the magic that surrounds childhood and that most of us lose when we become adults.
If there is a night that lends itself to celebration and celebration, that is New Year's Eve. The offer of plans to spend the end of the year with the family is increasing. From dinners in restaurants or hotels, musicals, parties in theme parks or in the middle of nature. There are many ways to experience it, but whether you decide to stay at home or go out to celebrate it, New Year's Eve with your children will provide you with unique and special moments.
Ideas to celebrate New Year's Eve with the family
New Year's Eve at home
Spending New Year's Eve at home doesn't have to be synonymous with boredom. In fact, it can be a lot of fun. You just need a little imagination and desire to have fun. In addition, if we let the children participate in the preparations, excitement and fun are guaranteed.
La cena
Dinner is one of the most important elements of New Years Eve. But don't worry, preparing a dinner to match the occasion doesn't have to be cumbersome and stressful. Forget about protocols and make it a fun activity, in which your children put the creative touch. The result is sure to be delicious and original.
You can choose between all the menu and prepare it together. It can be something that you do not eat regularly or something that you especially like and want to make a tradition for tonight. You can also prepare a simple dinner based on appetizers or a fondue. Kids will love being able to choose from different dishes.
If family or friends are coming, you can suggest that they bring their own dish or a recipe from other countries in order to have a very varied and international dinner. OR you can prepare a theme night, Dress up and cook something special related to the theme you have chosen.
To simplify a bit, instead of sitting diners around the table, you can organize a buffet dinner, in which each one takes what they want and the children can move freely.
For toasts you can prepare special drinks for children. Hot chocolate, juices, or non-alcoholic carbonated drinks. Do not forget to have lists Cups similar to those of the adults so that the little ones feel special.
Once dinner is over, the night is young and it lends itself to doing a lot of activities to have fun. Of course, it must be taken into account that in many families several generations meet, so we will have to look for activities that both children and adults like.
The wishes
One of the things you can do together after dinner is Write on a nice paper everything you want to disappear from your lives and on another paper write the resolutions for the year that begins. At midnight, the paper with what is not wanted is burned in a pot or in the fireplace. The paper with the wishes for the new year, you can keep it to take stock the following year.
The time capsule
Give each child a box, colored sheets, colored pencils or markers, scissors and different elements to decorate the box. Then ask them to write on a sheet of paper their wishes for the new year, with whom they have celebrated this New Year's Eve, if they have learned anything special during the year, the names of their friends, what are their favorite activities and which ones they don't like at all…. Anything that they identify with is valid. The idea is that put the paper in the decorated box and keep it until the following year, when you can read what you wrote and realize how there are things that change and others that remain unchanged.
Party favors bags and DIY decorations
Kids will love it decorate the house for the occasion themselves and prepare their own party favors bags. You will only need cardboard, colored paper, glue, scissors, balloons, glitter and anything you can think of that can be useful to decorate. The result is sure to be spectacular!
A movie night
Watching a movie can be one of the different activities for the night or become a marathon of your favorite movies or series. You can do it after dinner or have it revolve around this activity, preparing something simple, like some appetizers or sandwiches and popcorn. You can also put old home videos and remember other times.
Board games
Another of the classics to spend a New Year's Eve at home are board games. There is a huge variety to choose from, from the latest novelties to the more traditional ones like trivia or monopoly. The important thing is that everyone has a good time and participate. If you do not want to complicate the subject too much, you can use the classics such as Parcheesi, goose or bingo whose rules are very simple and suitable for almost all ages. Another option is to play a video game in which the whole family can participate, either in teams or alone.
If you don't have any games on hand, don't worry. Forever you can use simple games that do not require infrastructure or if they need it, they are materials that are easy to find in any house. You can use a stopwatch, for example from a mobile phone, to play at trying to guess movies, animals or whatever else you can think of. With just a paper and a pen, you can improvise a kind of homemade pictionary in which you have to guess what other players are drawing or play hangman.
A star has been born
Other activities that can be improvised at any time of the night are those in which each one demonstrates their artistic talent. Sing, tell jokes, riddles, a puppet show, stories or scary stories. Anything goes to have a good time and have fun. Yes indeed, do not forget to get completely into your role, with clothes, costumes, makeup and all the necessary props.
Sachets to be opened during the night
Prepare some small bags with surprises to open throughout the night. In them you can put sweets, small details. craft kits or activity ideas like watching a movie, playing a game, doing karaoke, etc.
Celebrate the new year in a different time slot
If you have small children it is difficult for them to stay awake until midnight. A good option is receive the New Year coinciding with midnight in another country that celebrates it before us. In addition, to make it even more fun you can make the country with which we celebrate the New Year, the theme of the night. For example, if the chosen country is China, we will try to dress as they do there and prepare some of their typical foods.
New Year's Eve away from home
Yes, despite all the previous proposals, you still feel like it celebrate New Year's Eve away from home, you have a wide range of proposals.
If you don't feel like preparing dinners or parties, some hotels and restaurants offer New Year's Eve parties with areas and activities dedicated exclusively to children. Some theme parks also have their own New Years Eve party.
Cities and towns often offer special activities for the end of the year. You can, for example, go see some musical or play I wish you like it.
One of the plans that both children and adults like the most is spend New Year's Eve in the snow. Ski resorts usually have a wide range of activities for the whole family. Whether you are expert skiers or not, you can enjoy slopes adapted to different levels, sleds, cable cars, areas dedicated to children and a very Christmas environment. Another option, if you are lucky enough to have a snowy area nearby, is to spend the day alone and enjoy the snow at your own pace.
Another option is to celebrate New Year's Eve in the middle of nature, in some camping, hostel or rural house. Many of them usually have activities and special details for these dates. If you are one of those who do not want to be cold, the best option is to choose a coastal area, where the temperatures, even being winter, are much milder.
Anyway, the most important thing is to be able to enjoy these special days as a family and make them unforgettable for both children and adults. And you, how do you celebrate New Year's Eve?