For the last several years, my parents have hosted a bunko party on New Year's Eve, which is a fun, and often rambunctious, way to countdown to the new year with a few friends. It works great for us, because our young daughter can just go to bed while mommy and daddy have fun with family and friends just down the hall. Going out on the town can be hard for those with young kids, and often no one to babysit. Plus, it's always nice to not have to drive home on one of the most dangerous nights of the year to be on the road.
Staying home can be just as fun as a night out though, especially when the whole family is celebrating together! Here are some ideas for ringing in 2009 with the family.
*Have a special dinner of appetizers/hor d'oeurves- which basically can consist of anything you normally feed the kids, simply chopped or sliced and skewered with a toothpick, complete with bubbly sparkling apple cider!
*Have a movie marathon, with lots of popcorn, of course, and then watch the ball drop in New York on TV.
*Get the whole family involved in a "living room campout"- with a real tent, or an elaborate fort that you all sleep under.
*Plan a scavenger hunt around the house, ending with a funny pair of 2009 glasses as the last treasure (this is, after all, the last year those type of glasses will work!)
*Play board games, Wii or other family-friendly video games like Dance Dance Revolution or Rock Band.
*Write a list of family New Year's Resolutions, and talk about what you're all looking forward to in the new year.
*Make funny hats out of construction paper, scrapbook paper or even newspaper and wear them as you celebrate!
*Set up a homemade "theatre" in the house and let the kids dress up and put on a show or performance for mom and dad.
*Go out in your backyard and bang pots and pans at midnight (sorry, neighbors, at least it's better than fireworks!)
*Make a traditional family dish for dinner and talk about your ancestors and family heritage with the kids.
*Make homemade ice cream, cookies or other yummy treats, and then enjoy eating them way past normal bedtime!
*Roast hot dogs and marshmallows in the fireplace.
I hope these ideas get you started in planning a fun night at home with the family! Combine as many of them as you can for a great night of celebrating! If you're staying in this year for New Year's Eve, I'd love to hear
your ideas on how you intend to celebrate the new year with your
family!
photo by dude.patrick
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