Remember what a blast it was: dressing up, hanging out with friends and partying in the new year? These days, if you’re up in the wee hours, it’s probably to rock a baby or tuck a toddler back into bed, not pop champagne, make out at midnight or watch the ball drop.
But being a parent doesn’t mean the party’s over! An earlier-in-the-Eve celebration is a family-friendly and (almost) just as fun way to ring in the new year. Here’s how.
GATHER YOUR CREW
Send an invite out for a party at your place, and be sure to specify the timeframe: Somewhere between 4 to 8 p.m. means you can whoop it up and get everyone home before bedtime. And for friends without kids, or those with a generous babysitter, your shindig can serve as simply their first stop of the night.
ADD SOME SPARKLE
After all the decorating, cooking and festivities of the holidays, decking your halls for another celebration may not appeal. But keep in mind a little sparkle goes a long way. Lean into whatever vibe you’ve already been rocking, since gold and silver accents go well with pretty much any style.
String shimmery tassels across your mantle, scatter some (flameless) candles on your tables and tack up a metallic fringe curtain in front of a door or window — set out a basket of party hats and props and you’ve got the makings of a NYE photo booth.
TOASTS AND TREATS
A little bubbly is a must, and it only gets more festive when champagne glasses are rimmed in gold sprinkles. Set out bottles of both sparkling wine and sparkling cider (for the kiddos and any pregnant pals). Keep your favorite local beers chilling, and give your bar the Wisconsin treatment with a build-your-own Old Fashioned station.
Set out crowd-pleasing snacks, but give the treats some special attention. Decorate simple sugar cookies with numbers and arrange them as a countdown (ten, nine, eight …) or embellish them with the numerals of the new year.
TIME TO CELEBRATE
Encourage kids to reflect on the past twelve months by filling out a year-in-review card (find our free download here!). Then gather everyone for the big countdown. Pass out noisemakers and bust open a bag of balloons at the stroke of fake midnight. Let the kids be as wild and loud as they like for a few minutes. Then cue the music, because this type of frenzy segues perfectly into a dance party.
Happy new year!
Photos by Gena Larson.