As we quickly approach the end of the year, there will hopefully be a few moments amongst the chaos to quietly sit and reflect on 2024. Whether it was the best year of your life, the worst, or somewhere in between, this year will officially come to an end on December 31st. In my pre-motherhood era, I can recall memories of celebrating New Year’s Eve at house parties, clubs, or bars until all hours of the morning. These days, I am more than content crawling into bed much earlier than I would like to admit (which is not long after my children’s bedtimes).
However, as my children get older, I’m starting to think it would be great to create New Year’s Eve traditions as a family. I’m usually a stickler for getting my children to bed on time, and my children, like most, thrive on that bedtime routine. However, even I’m willing to bend the rules just this once. Here are some of ideas that I am currently considering:
-Having a slumber party +/- matching pjs
-Creating a special New Year’s Eve menu complete with sparkling apple cider and fun, age-appropriate, kid-approved appetizers
-Reflecting as a family on your best memories of the past year, what you are grateful for, something you learned, and your wishes for the upcoming year
-Activities to pass the hours including board games, rewatching beloved family movies, and dance parties
-Having fun in the kitchen and baking a new recipe together
And while I don’t have complete confidence that my children (or I) will be able to keep our eyes open until midnight, there is no rule stating that midnight can’t be celebrated at 9 or 10pm! No matter how you choose to celebrate, I’m wishing you and all of your loved ones a very safe New Year’s Eve, and a happy and healthy New Year!
