Eos Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 (edited) Family, some of my "extra" kids, and a few friends gather at our house for food and an outside fire plus our very favorite game: predictions. First we open the sealed envelope from last year and go through them. The competitive among us assign points and half-points for ones that were right or half-right. There's a winner, though 90% of them we laugh and say, what was I even thinking?? Then we create this year's list. We always start with a list of who's present - this sparks a few regarding who will or won't be present next year. I scribe. Politics, new babies, sports, who's going to move and where, college admissions and final choices, new businesses in town, anything is fair game. This year politics will be a big factor - we have a separate column for "add-ons" for agreeing but tweaking a little. The kids love this tradition, and ones who are away usually skype in for a few minutes to collect their wins from last year and drop off a few for this year's envelope. When midnight arrives we're usually freezing outside, but then staple up the envelope and stash it away in its proper spot til next year. My parents did this with their friends for years and it's a nice way to spend a family-friendly New Year's Eve. What does your family do on New Year's Eve? Edited December 31, 2019 by Harpymom 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 We have a Blessings Jar that I keep on the counter along with a stack of small papers so people can write stuff and put it in the jar throughout the year as they think of it. New Year's Eve we have a service at church and then a big group usually rents out a local fellowship center to hang out and eat snacks and play games til midnight. On New Year's Day we read the previous year's Blessings Jar entries and start a new one. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMommy Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 We always watch Apollo 13 on NYE. We also have a hot chocolate bar, with different flavors of cocoa and whipped cream, plus different kinds of sprinkles for the top, and different stirring "sticks," like candy canes or those Pirouette cookies. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Hot chocolate bar might be a game changer here! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 We don't really have a NYE tradition. When I was much younger, my brother and I had an awesome tradition of watching the Star Wars Trilogy. We would start after dinner and end in the wee hours of the morning. I would love to do something similar with my older kids, but now that there is a trilogy of Trilogies, it would take for.ev.er.! :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Put the kids down at 8:30. Go to bed. 3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 We have my mom and her partner over along with a few friends. Usually Chinese or Vietnamese food and board games. I love the predictions idea @Harpymom! I am going to try to add that in this year! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Our has changed a lot as the kids have gotten older. When the kids were teens, we started having a movie marathon, though there would be sleep time at one point. The first year, we watched the LOTR trilogy; 1 and 2 before going to bed (sometime around 2, maybe?) and then 3 on NYD. Then the kids started picking the movies (Star Wars one years, maybe, and some of the Harry Potters another?) and Dad and I might or might not stay up to watch. We are old and tired now and staying up till midnight for no particular reason does not have the allure it once had. This year my son is away on NYE for the first time ever. My daughter is having a friend overnight. My husband and I will hide out in our room so they can have free access to family room and kitchen for the night. (Our house setup is terrible for things like this, there is no place you can go and not hear or be heard.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 (edited) In the past we've had friends over or went to friends to barbecue. This year 20yo dd is with her boyfriend and 15yo dd has 2 friends staying over. They are in the pool at the moment, it being summer here. As Marbel is doing, Dh and I will probably be in bed reading way before midnight. Edited December 31, 2019 by Hannah 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Slache said: Put the kids down at 8:30. Go to bed. It’s a normal night for us too. 🙂 Edited December 31, 2019 by MEmama 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 After dinner and maybe a game I watch the Bourne trilogy (only the first 3 movies are worth it, imo) without pause save for bathroom break and getting more food. My older kids can join if they want to (they usually do). It's my one and only movie indulgence all year long and I love it. So nothing sentimental here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Our friends throw a huge kid friendly NYE party, with dancing, food, games etc. That ends at 9 with New York ball drop. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 We get pizza and have cheese, crackers, and other snacks. We play board games for most of the evening, often watch a movie, and then turn on TV and watch the ball drop at midnight. We set off some party poppers and go to bed. Years ago we used to do something similar with friends, but they moved away, so it's just whoever is still at home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 When our girls were home, we went to church and then had various snack foods afterwards. Since we haven’t had cable in years, we would watch movies until midnight, say Happy New Year and head to bed. Now, it’s just us, it’s more like another day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 7 hours ago, Harpymom said: Family, some of my "extra" kids, and a few friends gather at our house for food and an outside fire plus our very favorite game: predictions. First we open the sealed envelope from last year and go through them. The competitive among us assign points and half-points for ones that were right or half-right. There's a winner, though 90% of them we laugh and say, what was I even thinking?? Then we create this year's list. We always start with a list of who's present - this sparks a few regarding who will or won't be present next year. I scribe. Politics, new babies, sports, who's going to move and where, college admissions and final choices, new businesses in town, anything is fair game. This year politics will be a big factor - we have a separate column for "add-ons" for agreeing but tweaking a little. The kids love this tradition, and ones who are away usually skype in for a few minutes to collect their wins from last year and drop off a few for this year's envelope. When midnight arrives we're usually freezing outside, but then staple up the envelope and stash it away in its proper spot til next year. My parents did this with their friends for years and it's a nice way to spend a family-friendly New Year's Eve. What does your family do on New Year's Eve? That sounds like a lot of fun! Do you have topic headings to share? I'd love to try this out. We have friends over and play board/group games and eat take-out and snacks. It was Chinese for years, but now it's Shawarma. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 6 hours ago, MrsMommy said: We always watch Apollo 13 on NYE. We also have a hot chocolate bar, with different flavors of cocoa and whipped cream, plus different kinds of sprinkles for the top, and different stirring "sticks," like candy canes or those Pirouette cookies. Back in the BC days (before children) DH and I would watch a trilogy over NYE and NYD. We have done it a few times w/ the kids too. Fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 We make cream cheese dips and Trader Joe's appetizers. We're currently working our way through all the Marvel movies (thanks to Disney+) so we'll probably do a movie or two. This year, my kids have decided they're staying up to midnight...I'll probably go to bed, so they'll hang out with DH, who's a night owl. I love the idea of a blessing jar or predictions! And the hot chocolate bar! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 1 hour ago, wintermom said: That sounds like a lot of fun! Do you have topic headings to share? I'd love to try this out. We have friends over and play board/group games and eat take-out and snacks. It was Chinese for years, but now it's Shawarma. My parents had definite topic headings, but we are far more random - someone starts a topic, others chime in until it's played out...politics, babies, moving, new jobs, new cars, college, sports and movie star stuff (I'm the automatic loser on these,) ice-out, first wood frogs, really anything goes. I write the person's name then the prediction, then others' add-ons. Once we're rolling it's hard to keep up, so the scribe has to go fast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 NYE is my birthday, so our tradition usually involves going out for dinner or away for the holiday, just me and dh. My kids have spent pretty much all their NYE's with their grandparents, lol! But today we went out for lunch instead, and dh is grilling steak and shrimp kabobs and asparagus for dinner, and then we are going to the service at church as a family. I like the idea of this becoming a new tradition, but those one-night getaways with dh are awfully hard to give up! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Since it's just my husband and I at home now, we're pretty low key. We'll likely play some games, work on a jigsaw puzzle, and eat some snacks. Tomorrow, we have some friends coming over. My husband will make dinner for us all; I've made an apple tart that is baking now. We'll play some games, too. Happy new year all! Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 9 hours ago, Slache said: Put the kids down at 8:30. Go to bed. This was basically ours too until said kids grew into teens and developed a social life of their own. Now we are up late shuttling kids around. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 It's 9:05. Goodnight! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 10 hours ago, Slache said: Put the kids down at 8:30. Go to bed. My version is just go to bed at a reasonable time. My kids often go to bed after I do, even when it's not Christmas Break! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 4 hours ago, PeachyDoodle said: NYE is my birthday, so our tradition usually involves going out for dinner or away for the holiday, just me and dh. My kids have spent pretty much all their NYE's with their grandparents, lol! But today we went out for lunch instead, and dh is grilling steak and shrimp kabobs and asparagus for dinner, and then we are going to the service at church as a family. I like the idea of this becoming a new tradition, but those one-night getaways with dh are awfully hard to give up! Happy Birthday! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 I usually buy a bunch of junky frozen appetizers from the grocery store and we eat those all night, play board games and watch movies. This year I made lasagna instead. We toast at midnight and let everyone stay up until midnight if they can make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoeless Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 We don't really have a tradition. We stay in and kind of noodle around all night. Snacks, puzzles, games. DH is cleaning a closet right now, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 (edited) My lifelong tradition is to go outside and make noise at midnight! T minus 23 minutes! (Central time) Edited January 1, 2020 by happi duck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 We went to our normal Tuesday night Bible study, Dh is sick so we decided to go to Walmart and buy a thermometer. And NyQuil. And wine. As we left....in our dress clothes.....the clerk at the door said, ‘y’all look adorable. Have fun!’ We about fell over laughing,.....,anytime someone tells you that you look adorable ya gotta just say thank you......little did they know we were going home to check temps and go to sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readinmom Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 (edited) We go out to a movie, early dinner. We went to the new Jumanji movie tonight, just 3 of us this time. Ds 1 and 2 did not join us for the first time. We come home, usually have a drink and dessert, finish up what's left of The Lord of the Rings trilogy that is always playing on NYE. We barely make it to midnight anymore. Edited January 1, 2020 by readinmom spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 (edited) No traditions. Normally we get together with friends, but the last couple of years that hasn't worked out, for a variety of reasons. This year my youngest and I went out for Sushi and then we came home and DH and I watched a movie. I was invited to a party but had no desire to go. Edited January 1, 2020 by DawnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.