| How to Enjoy New Year's Eve at Home With Your Family Posted: 31 Dec 2020 12:00 AM PST Spending New Year's Eve with at home with your family can be a fantastic opportunity to bond, have fun together, and bring in the New Year with your loved ones. With all the possibilities for fun food, drinks, games and activities, spending New Year's Eve at home can be a real treat. [Edit]Planning Food and Drinks For the Night - Make a homemade meal. Considering that ordering out on New Year's Eve often costs more (since prices are usually increased for the holiday), this is a good excuse to splurge a little and make a family meal at home. Pick out dinner food that everyone enjoys but you don't get a chance to have very often, like steak, chili, or lobster. This family meal can turn into a New Year's Eve tradition.
- You could also consider making a meal out of appetizers. This could lead to a more casual dinner setup, and the kids will like having the ability to pick and choose different kinds of food.
- Cheese fondue is another fun dinner idea for New Year's Eve.[1] Eating cheese fondue with bits of bread and meats will require everyone to sit and eat together. You can take turns dipping your food into the cheese and tell stories from the past year as you eat.
- Make fun snacks and desserts. Consider making cookies, toffee, or other desserts that you can make together as a family and eat throughout New Year's Eve night. You can get even more in the New Year's spirit by making New Year's specific desserts. Lots of cultures have New Year's Eve desserts like Vasilopita, a Greek New Year's Eve cake baked with a coin hidden in the dough.[2] Whoever gets the piece of cake with the coin will have good luck for the upcoming year.
- Marshmallow countdown skewers are another fun dessert idea. Each marshmallow has two or three numbers drawn on with edible ink, and you can eat the marshmallows as you count down to midnight.[3]
- A fun idea for New Year's Eve kid friendly drinks are milk and cookie toasts. The kids can join in on the New Year's toasts by clinking their milk glasses together and eating their cookies as they toast.[4]
- Make some holiday drinks and mocktails. Kids will love having hot cocoa, fruity soda pop, and sparkling grape juice on New Year's Eve. You can even make other mocktails like strawberry-kiwi spritzers, cranberry sparklers, and peppermint drinks.[5] Be sure to use plastic champagne flutes or other plastic "adult" like glasses to make the kids feel really special.[6] Adults can make their own specialty drinks, or stick with classic champagne.
- If you or family members are starting to feel tired, consider making some fun coffee drinks with and without alcohol.
[Edit]Having Fun Throughout The Night - Have a family game night. Bring out board games, card games, and electronic games, and even group video games to play as you wait for the clock to strike midnight.[7] You could make up game tournaments, or try to play all the games at least once during the night.
- Have a movie night. Pop in a movie you already have at home or rent a movie that you all have been wanting to see. Watching a movie can be just one aspect of your New Year's Eve plans, or you can turn it into a movie marathon. During this time you can eat and drink different snacks that you have prepared for the night.
- You can also use this time to watch old home videos and reminisce on good times.[8] Depending on how many home videos you have, you can make it a dinner time activity, or have them playing throughout the night.
- Create a New Year's Eve photo booth. Arrange an area of your home to be the photo booth stage. Find a wall or background that you can use as a backdrop, and decorate it with some holiday decorations or your written resolutions.[9] You could even print out some masquerade type costume pieces, and have your very own photo props.[10]
- Play dress up.[11] Bring out everyone's best clothes and make everyone in the family feel like they are a part of a fancy New Year's Eve party or ball. You could play music, dance, and everyone's fancy outfits can make for some great photos.[12]
- Make countdown bags to open every hour. Fill small bags with different snacks and goodies to open up at every hour leading up to midnight.[13] You can make as many bags as you want depending on how early you want to start opening the bags. Some ideas for bag fillers include:
- Disposable cameras[14]
- Activity tags: watch a movie, eat ice cream, play a game, etc.[15]
- Craft kits[16]
- Candy
- Make your own New Year's Eve decorations. Make your own party hats with some construction paper, string and decorating supplies.[17] You can also make your own New Year's Eve noisemakers by putting rice, confetti, and glitter inside empty water bottles. Simply twist on the cap and shake to loudly bring in the New Year.[18] Consider making a balloon drop for when the clock strikes midnight:[19]
- Simply blow up balloons, and create netting around an overhead fan with some tape and wrapping paper or fabric.
- Place all the balloons inside the netting, and release the balloons whenever you plan to ring in the New Year.[20]
[Edit]Celebrating The New Year - Reflect on the past year and make resolutions together. Around midnight or throughout the night in general, you and your family can gather together and reminisce over where the past year has taken each of you individually, and as whole family. After, make and share resolutions for the New Year and what you hope to achieve. You can even try to make a resolution as a family and be each other's accountability partners.[21][22]
- Celebrate the New Year in a different time zone. If there are younger children, it may be hard for them to stay awake all the way until midnight. Consider celebrating the New Year with a different country's midnight. For example, depending on where you are in the world, try ringing in the New Year with New York, Paris or Greenland.[23] That way, the kids can still celebrate the festivities, but also get to sleep at an earlier hour.
- To take it a step further, you can make whatever country's New Year you're celebrating the theme for the night.[24] If you want to celebrate Paris' New Year, have crepes, fondue, quiche, wine, and cheeses.
- Sing, make toasts and celebrate. When the clock strikes midnight, everyone should have their drinks prepared to toast, embrace, and wish each other a Happy New Year and make sure you count down the final ten seconds before you make a toast. After midnight, you can all sing the song, "Auld Lang Syne" which is typically associated with ringing in the New Year.[25] This is the time to bring out the homemade noisemakers and bang on some pots and pans.[26]
- If the weather permits, go outside and light sparklers and watch fireworks as you hoop and holler celebrating the new year.[27]
- Forgo the parties you really don't want to attend, and don't take on too many responsibilities. Instead, leave ample time for you and your family to have fun together.
- If you're ordering in, make sure you do so early to avoid the rush of many people choosing to do the same thing!
- Take care of anyone who seems bored or upset by spending the evening with the family. Teens and young adults especially can feel that they're missing out on all the fun if they feel stuck at home. Listen to them and ask them about their past year and what they're looking forward to – this can be a good chance for some family bonding.
- Some people like to have the TV countdown on in the background with the sound turned down; this helps everyone to keep an eye on the time. A radio show is also a good choice.
- There is no obligation to stay up until midnight. No doubt there will be some family members who don't hang around all night! If you feel tired and want to nod off earlier, feel free to; it'll be next year when you wake up and you can hold your own morning ritual to greet the New Year.
- Consider setting off fireworks if its permitted within an area.
[Edit]Warnings - If you spend the entire evening regretting being with the family and thinking that you ought to be doing something more exciting, then you'll have a hard time living in the moment and appreciating its value. It's going to be a lot easier and more fun if you accept that staying at home is just another fun way to spend New Year's Eve. Remember all that you won't have to put up with, things like long lines for taxis, drunken brawls, crowds acting crazy, and being slobbered all over by people who insist on kissing everyone as the New Year rings in!
- Ensure responsible drinking in the household.
- If you play loud music, be considerate of the neighbors. Even if it's New Year's Eve, some people still have babies and illnesses to contend with.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Stay Awake Until Midnight on New Year's Eve Posted: 30 Dec 2020 04:00 PM PST If you're used to going to bed early, it can be tough to stay awake until midnight on New Year's Day. No one wants to fall asleep too early to see the ball drop. This year, keep your eyes open long enough to countdown to the New Year! [Edit]Staying Active - Talk to people. If you're around friends or family for New Year's, make conversation with them to stay awake. Keep your mind entertained by being social.
- Listen to their stories.
- Laugh at their jokes.
- Talk to them about their interests.
- Stay on your feet. Dance, walk around the house or even challenge your friends to a push up contest. Whatever you do, just make sure not to sit or lay down. You don't want to get too comfortable or you might end up drifting off to sleep.
- Do fun things. Play games with your friends and family. Play pranks on people. Take turns making New Year's resolutions with everyone. Do anything that entertains your mind and keeps you up.[1]
- If it's legal in your city, shooting off fireworks can be really exciting. Just be very careful around fire and supervise little kids.
- Taking pictures of everyone in funny poses can make for a really great time.
- Help out. If you're at a party, you can help the cook prepare food for everyone. You can even play bartender and make cocktails for everyone. Volunteer to clean up a bit as well. Not only will helping out ingratiate you with the host, it will keep your mind focused and awake.
[Edit]Fighting the Sleepiness - Use caffeine. Caffeine blocks sleep inducing neurotransmitters in your brain to keep you awake.[2] When you start to feel yourself getting sleepy, drink a cup of coffee or something else with caffeine. Avoid caffeine in the days leading up to New Year's Eve as it becomes less effective with overuse.
- Most sodas have caffeine.
- Energy drinks like Redbull and Monster have a lot of caffeine.
- Some dark chocolates contain caffeine.
- Keep in mind that while this is a very effective method, it's not healthy. Don't drink caffeine at night often, as disrupting your sleep cycle can be bad for your health.
- Change your body temperature. Vary your body temperature from hot to cold to jolt yourself into alertness. The shock will give your body and mind an instant burst of energy.
- Splash some cold water on your face.[3]
- Take a quick shower. Switch the water from cold to hot and then back again to wake your body up and improve your circulation.
- You can get a similar effect by chewing ice or drinking a cold beverage.
- Flip on the light switch. It will be harder for you to fall asleep with all the lights on. Make your environment is as bright as possible.
- You may want to move to a different room and turn the lights on there to avoid bothering other people.
- Listen to music. Put on your favorite upbeat tune and let it energize your spirit. Turn up the volume as loud as you can.[4]
- Use headphones if there's other people around.
- Avoid slow songs that could relax you to sleep.
- Get some fresh air. If you're with a lot of people on New Year's Eve, the atmosphere may be very crowded. This can make the air very hot and humid which can make you very sleepy.[5] Go outside to get some fresh oxygen to rejuvenate yourself.
- Enjoy a film. Watch a really fun film to engage your senses. A good action film will wipe away your sleepiness and keep you on the edge of your seat.
- Avoid films that are too long or slow. Keeping up with a long, complicated plot can leave you feeling drained.
- Use peppermint oil. The smell of peppermint can wake up your senses. Rub some oil on your hands, temples and upper lip. The smell may be very strong, so you might have to keep your distance from people for a while.[6]
- Strong citrus scents can also do the trick.
- Don't use lavender, it can be too relaxing.
[Edit]Preparing to Stay Awake - Eat nutritious foods throughout the day. Eat vitamin rich foods that will give you energy. You'll need plenty of Vitamin C and B and omega-3 fatty acids to give yourself the energy to stay awake. Avoid foods with tryptophan like turkey that can make you feel tired and sluggish.[7]
- Salmon and walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and will boost your metabolism.
- Oranges and other citrus fruits are a great source of Vitamin C.
- Eggs and beans are very B vitamin rich.
- Eat small meals often to keep your metabolism running. Larger meals can make you sluggish.
- Get a full eight hours of sleep the night before. Make sure your body has enough sleep to operate. It will be really hard to have enough energy to stay awake on New Year's Eve if you're sleep deprived from the night before.
- Don't over do it. Sleeping too much can make you feel groggy.
- Take a walk. Low-impact exercise can give you extra energy. Take a thirty minute walk on New Year's Eve to get your blood pumping and help you stay awake.[8] The sunlight you get from outside will also help your body absorb Vitamin D.
- Keep it light. Heavy exercise can burn you out and make you feel tired.
- Take a nap. If you're worried you still won't be able to make it to midnight, take a nap in the middle of the day. Set an alarm to make sure you don't oversleep. A short nap of forty-five minutes or less will leave you feeling energized. If you go longer, it could make you more tired.
- If you have time, a ninety minute nap will allow your body to get through a rem sleep cycle which can make up for some sleep you'll be losing on New Year's.
- Always keep your mind occupied to stay awake.
- Ask a friend to wake you up in advance just in case you do fall asleep.
- Chew gum or put a mint in your mouth to engage your senses and wake your body up.
- Get up and move around. Try not to sit or lay down because you might get too comfortable and accidentally fall asleep.
[Edit]Warnings - Don't start drinking caffeine too early, or your energy level will crash.
- Try not to eat turkey, there is a chemical which will make you drowsy.
- Don't drink too much alcohol. It will make you extremely drowsy.
[Edit]References |
| How to Store Ice Without a Freezer Posted: 30 Dec 2020 08:00 AM PST Drinks are in the fridge, burgers are on the BBQ, and your party's about to start—but the ice doesn't fit in the freezer! This might feel like a disaster, but you don't have to go without ice-cold drinks or food. You can try a few different ways to keep your ice from melting so you can enjoy your time with friends and family. [Edit]Store your ice in the fridge if you're in a pinch.[1] - If you don't have a cooler, a bucket, or a freezer, a fridge can work. Wrap your ice in aluminum foil to trap in the cold, then keep the ice in the fridge.
- The fridge is too warm to keep your ice frozen for long, but it can work for a few hours until you find a cooler or a bucket.
- If you bought ice in a package from the store, don't unwrap it! Leave it in the package so it stays colder longer.
[Edit]Put your ice in a plastic cooler or bucket.[2] - This is the perfect solution if you're on the go. Grab a cooler or a bucket from your local grocery store, then dump your ice in to keep it cold.
- Most coolers are lined with insulating material so your ice will stay chilly for hours on end.
- A bucket can work in a pinch, but it's not as good as a cooler.
- Depending on the size and material of your cooler, your ice could stay frozen for up to 8 hours.
- If you have the choice between plastic or metal, always go for plastic. Metal transfers energy faster, so it will melt your ice quicker.
[Edit]Line your container with aluminum foil.[3] - It's all about keeping the heat out! Before you pour your ice into a bucket or cooler, line it with a few sheets of aluminum foil.
- The shiny foil will reflect the heat and light that could melt your ice.
- You can do this in conjunction with wrapping a towel around your container. The more insulation the better!
[Edit]Wrap the container in a kitchen towel.[4] - More insulation means more cooling power. Once your ice is in a bucket or a cooler, wrap it up in a few layers of towels.
- If you have any packaging materials, like bubble wrap, you could put that in between the towel and your ice for even more insulation.
- The air trapped between the layers will help the ice stay frozen for longer.
[Edit]Add salt to your ice to lower the freezing temperature.[5] - If the freezing temperature is lower, the ice will take longer to melt. Pour your ice into a container, then shake a liberal amount of sea salt all over to make it a little bit colder.
- You might even start to see new ice form as the old ice melts.
[Edit]Use a lot of ice so it keeps itself frozen.[6] - The more ice you have, the longer it will take to melt. While it sounds like a no-brainer, you should always make sure you're filling your entire container with ice so it can keep itself cold.
- It's always better to have too much ice than not enough!
- If your cooler lid isn't fitting on properly, siphon some ice out to use in drinks instead.
[Edit]Drain the water as the ice melts.[7] - Water is warmer than frozen ice, so it can melt your frozen cubes. As your ice starts to melt, try to drain your container to keep your ice cold.
- Some coolers have a drainage plug on the side that you can use to pour out your water. Otherwise, just tip your container to the side and let the water drain out.
- Try to check on your water content every hour or so.
[Edit]Bury your container in the ground if you can.[8] - The cold soil can help lower the temperature of your container. Use a shovel to dig out a divet in the earth, then place your cooler or your bucket inside.
- If you've wrapped your container in a towel and lined it with foil, you probably don't need to bury it.
- This is a great method for camping or outdoor parties.
- If the air outside is already pretty cold (say, below freezing), you don't need to worry about burying your container.
[Edit]Put your ice near a fan or AC unit if you're inside.[9] - The colder the air around the ice is, the longer it will stay frozen. Keep your ice out of the sunlight, and put it next to a fan or a chilly air conditioning unit, if you can.
- If the fan or the AC is in a small room, it's even better. Small rooms stay cold for longer, so they'll keep your ice chilly.
- If you're outside, keep your container of ice in the shade.
- Move your ice away from any warm objects, like heaters, stoves, or sunny windows.
[Edit]Store your ice in the backseat, not the trunk.[10] - The trunk of your car can turn into an oven during hot summer months. If you're traveling with your bucket or cooler of ice, keep it in the backseat, not the trunk.
- You can also blast the AC to keep your ice cold if you have a long drive ahead of you.
[Edit]Try larger ice cubes.[11] - The bigger your cubes are, the longer they'll take to melt. If you really want to keep ice around for a long time, buy it in chunks or blocks instead of cubes.
- Crushed ice melts the fastest since it's so small.
[Edit]Make ice with boiled water to it melts slowly.[12] - Boiling water removes the air bubbles from the ice, leading to denser cubes. The denser your cubes are, the longer they'll take to melt.
- Boil your water in a kettle or a pot, then pour it into your ice trays before freezing.
- You can also use this method to make clear ice for fancy cocktails.
- Buy ice right before your party or camping trip so you don't have to worry about keeping it cold for long.
[Edit]References |
