Ringing in the New Year doesn’t mean you have to leave the kids in the care of a babysitter. Sometimes a family New Year’s Eve celebration can be just as much fun. We’ve founds some Fabulous ways to celebrate the arrival of 2011 at home with both young and old.
| Get Your Game On |
The digital gaming family will enjoy playing the Game of Life, Clue, Twister, Mouse Trap and Yahtzee Hands Down on Hasbro’s Family Game Night 3 available for the Wii, Xbox 360 or PS3. Both full play and remixed (shorter play) versions are available for up to 4 players at one time. Rated E for Everyone ($44.99 Cdn)
| Fun Family Movies |
Even though you may be on holidays, that doesn’t mean you have to spend the evening watching Christmas movies. Enjoy a few laughs (and cries) with newly released family-friendly DVDs like Despicable Me ($20.21 Cdn Bluray combo pack) and Nanny McPhee Returns ($24.78 Cdn DVD) from Universal or Ramona and Beezus ($19.99 Cdn Bluray) from Twentieth Century Fox or The Last Airbender ($26.99 Cdn Bluray) from Paramount Home Entertainment.
| Mocktails and Cocktails |
Toast the end of the old and the start of the new with some festive drinks. You can find a collecton of great mocktail recipes right here on EverythingMom. For cocktails, our very own Pop Culture editor, Cocktail Deeva, shares a delicious cocktail recipe at the end of each of her posts. Try her Candy Cane Martini, Mine Mine All Mine Mocha-tini or Who’s In Your Network Punch to name a few libations.
Checkout our New Year Cocktail Party article on EverythingMom for advice and tips as well as recipes.
| Make a Little Noise |
It’s not a party without noisemakers. I love these Confetti Horns that make noise and blow confetti. (12 in a pack/$3.99 Cdn.) Homemade water bottle noisemakers, like the one on Kaboose, are a great activity for kids plus they’ll have great fun using them at the party. (Free) If you own an iPhone, turn it into a noisemaker with the New Years Noise app. Choose your noisemaker’s shape, material and sound as well as the background for where you want to party and give your iPhone a shake. ($0.99 Cdn.)
| Record Your Resolutions |
From eating healthier to being better organized, we all have resolutions or goals we want to work toward and the New Year is the perfect starting point. This printable My New Years Resolution sheet is designed for kids but the whole family could use these to set their goals for the New Year. (Free) Then you can track how you’re doing at keeping your resolutions with Joe’s Goals, an easy to use online tool. (Free)
If you are looking at getting out, check your local listings for city run events. Many offer family-friendly environments with entertainment, fireworks and non drinking. One of my favourites is the New Year’s Eve party down at Niagara Falls. The CAA Winter Festival of Lights happens at the same time so you’re sure to get a whole day (and night) of fun.
Happy New Year.