New Years in Quarantine

Everything this year has been different. So why it is no surprise that we will all be bringing in the new year different, we may not all have ideas of what you can do, but here are a few ideas.

Having little kids, the idea of not going out on New Year’s Eve is not so much of a new thing, but the last couple of years we have tried to either have an early New Years party with other families with kids, or gone outside to do some skating and watch fire works with other families and not doing that will be a bit of a different twist to this year.

I have come up with a few ideas of what you can do, whether you are a family with kids of any age, a couple, or single. The idea is to just have fun and embrace where you are and who you are with. 

Let’s start the day off right with a brunch. A better idea if you want, have a group of friends and celebrate virtually. If able, you all could make ahead of time some of the menu, make extra and drop off at each others house. Then celebrate virtually and you all can be having the same brunch. This is a different way to be there with each other, but in today’s time of Zoom, it is probably something we are all used to by now. 

Decorate - if you have kids, spend the day of, or the day before making arts and crafts. Pick a colour, and some shiny and sparkly items and just have fun. Make a countdown clock, write numbers in glitter on different pieces of paper for the time. Make sparkly garland. Let your kids have fun with what they are making.

With kids - make an album or scrapbook. We have one of those instax mini’s. We have had it for years, and it has probably been sitting on one of my shelves for just as long. It wasn’t until our elf used it earlier in the month, that my kids have discovered it and just love taking photos with it, and seeing the magic happen when the photo just “appears”. The film is expensive, but order a couple rolls from Amazon, and just let them have fun. Part of your arts and craft day can be to make a scrapbook, and as they take the photos they can glue or tape the photos into the album.

Get dressed up, or down. Make it a theme. Wear pjs, matching outfits or go fancy. Have fun with this one. This is one of those things that I know my girls would remember. Not the gifts they received over the holidays, but the night we all got dressed up and had a party at home.

Resolutions. You are either for or against making New Years resolutions. I am all for them. However, I do not like making big ones. They are easy to feel like you failed, and you did not. I like to make “mini” resolutions, or particularly things that don’t have “end” dates. An example of this would be: “I want to lose 15 pounds in 2 months”, instead a goal could be I am going to work towards eating healthier one to two days a week. Or, I am going to work my way up to 30 minutes of exercise - see how this one doesn’t even say when or what type of exercise? 

Play games. Spend the day or evening playing games. Play board games, do puzzles, or video game. Make some appetizers throughout the day and just have some friendly competitions 

Have a specialty cocktail. Mocktail or not. Have the little umbrellas, and just have fun with this one

Make a craft - diy noise makers. There are so many different things you can do with this. Just use whatever you have at home. There is no need to go and buy anything… unless you don’t have glue, you will definitely need glue! Grab an empty plastic water bottle, two plastic cups, an empty and clean tin can, an empty paper towel roll… you get the idea. Decorate it. Add glitter, sparkles, paint, stickers, anything and everything you can find. Now put anything that makes noise into it. Rice, dried pasta, toys, beads, anything!! If you have bells, glue those on the the decorated paper towel rolls, and voila, you have a shaker!

Pop balloons at certain times to make countdowns for kids fun. Blow up balloons, and write times on it. When the clock gets to that time, let them pop the balloon. 

Blanket fort. Watch the countdown in a fort. Pillows, blankets, pjs. Maybe even string some lights in it, and what could be better than that?

Drop off Holiday cheer to the neighbours - make midnight kisses (Hershey kisses), and new year bell makers (can and bells). Put them in a basket or gift bag, and drop off to a few neighbours.

I hope you can use a few of these ideas, and try to remember, this is the year we created memories