The continuing pandemic has canceled parties and nights out, making this the year for everyone to jump on the night-at-home celebration bandwagon. Then there are parents who have given up on those nights out in favor of quiet celebrations at home and early bedtimes for the kids . There are some parents who get a babysitter every New Year’s Eve so they can go out to dinner, drinks or parties as they ring in the new year.
It is kinda like the confusion daily around the change between am & pm for me. Since NYE is on December 31 of the OLD year, New Year’s Eve happens in 2020 and everything changes when the clock strikes midnight. Because kids are just as excited to ring in the New Year as their parents, but need to be in bed before midnight, Stone Mountain Park is set to host an early New Year’s Eve Celebration. Then, you have a great excuse to make hot chocolate and build a fire before the countdown later that night.
Another fun activity for New Year’s eve with kids is to tie donuts on a string and hang them from the ceiling. Compete to see who can eat it first without using hands. After feliz año nuevo 2022 midnight, you can all sing the song, “Auld Lang Syne” which is typically associated with ringing in the New Year. Celebrate the New Year in a different time zone.
Pass around glasses of sparkling cider, ginger ale, or some other bubbly mocktail. Then, have the kids take turns toasting one another with compliments, making sure everyone is included. After each toast, everyone can take a sip of their drink. It’s a Greek tradition to serve vasilopita (New Year’s Cake) at midnight.
Immigrants from the former USSR celebrate Novy God, the Russian version of the holiday. The Eve of the Jewish New Year is also observed on the 29th of Elul according to the Jewish calendar . Other cities across Scotland, such as Aberdeen, Glasgow and Stirling have large organised celebrations too, including fireworks at midnight. Traditionally, there is first a feast, commonly consisting of stuffed, roast turkey with potatoes, sprouts, gravy and Waldorf salad. The accompanying beverage is traditionally beer . Dessert will often be vanilla pudding or rice cream, and there will be cakes and coffee later in the evening – commonly accompanied by a glass of cognac.
In larger cities like Ljubljana, Maribor, Celje or Koper there are concerts, culture programmes and countdowns followed by fireworks. There is also a special programme on national TV. Tradition is that the family comes together and has dinner. At midnight, people toast with champagne, wish each other a happy new year, fortune and health. People have already decorated the Christmas tree before Christmas and children are waiting for the third “Goodman of December – Dedek Mraz.” In France, New Year’s Eve (la Saint-Sylvestre) is usually celebrated with a feast, le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre (Cap d’Any in Northern Catalonia).
Then post photos to your neighborhood HOA group. Book a food truck for your neighborhood for the evening. Put paper plates on your head and try to draw certain items without looking.
One Liberty Observation Deck hosts a party with DJ entertainment, balloon crafts, face painting and a mask-decorating station leading up to the 6 p.m. Bring out the whole family for a midday countdown at the Please Touch Museum, filled with music and confetti at both noon and 1 p.m. Tickets to the Countdown 2 Noon celebration include museum entry, so show up as early as 9 a.m. To explore one of Philly’s most hands-on cultural institutions. Philly’s waterfront ice skating rink and winter oasis hosts two ticketed New Year’s Eve parties coinciding with the fireworks shows – one at 5 p.m. Each celebration features live entertainment, food from Garces Group and Chickie’s and Pete’s, and one of the best firework views in the city.