ARE YOU TIRED OF THE SAME OLD HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS EACH YEAR? WHY NOT APPROACH THIS NEW YEAR’S DAY WITH A FRESH PERSPECTIVE AND NEW IDEAS?
So here we are, at the end of the holiday season, the end of another year. Christmas has come and gone, and the holiday hangover has set in for many of us. I don’t know about you, but the idea of going out for a late-night celebration sounds just plain exhausting to me! Don’t get me wrong – I love a good party – but by December 31, I’m tired! We are definitely homebodies, so the social side of Christmas tends to wear us out. It’s wonderful seeing friends and family, but I’m ready for quiet nights, jigsaw puzzles and early morning routines. This year, we’ve decided to stay in and have a quiet New Year’s Eve by the fire, play some games and hit the hay nice and early! We’ll watch the ball drop in Times Square, which means 9:00 p.m. for us. We still want to do something to commemorate the start of a new year, so let’s look at how to have the best New Year’s Day ever!
A Daytime Party
Yes, you read that right. Host or attend a daytime party! For so many people, New Year’s Day is a day spent nursing a self-induced headache, upset stomach or other ailments. Trust me – been there. A few years ago, I decided it wasn’t in my best interest to start my year off in that state. Good decision by me! But New Year’s is a time that should be celebrated.
It’s a fresh start and, for many, can offer closure. I, for one, want to start my year out in the right frame of mind, and getting up early and enjoying the quiet atmosphere sets me in the right direction. I’m simply not going to do that if I’ve been out dancing until the wee hours.
Another huge benefit to a daytime celebration is the type of food and drink served. New Year’s Eve generally means the drinks are flowing freely, and the food can be heavy. Delicious, but maybe not the best options! When attending a brunch or afternoon get-together, it’s reasonable to expect lighter fare, but be sure to include a celebratory mimosa!
New Year’s Day Food & Drink
If hosting a brunch, the options are nearly endless! You could offer a full menu of traditional breakfast foods, or opt for simple finger foods, or a blend that puts your menu somewhere in between. As I mentioned above, mimosas are a lovely addition to any brunch, and easy enough to offer both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. Simply replace the champagne with sprite or ginger ale, mix with orange juice, and you’re set! Easy peasy. You can also serve a simple punch, tea and coffee.
New Year’s Day Activities
There are so many options to include in a New Year’s Day Celebration! Games, sports, hiking, skiing – you name it, someone wants to do it! Depending on the size of your group, the options are endless. For larger groups, consider fun games like Charades
, Taboo
or Scattergories
. Your celebration is immediate family only? What about a movie marathon, complete with popcorn and treats? Either way, you’ve got some real fun ahead of you!
Something I love to do on New Year’s Day is to reflect on the past year and all the wonderful memories we’ve made along the way. Even when you think the past year may not have been great, if you look hard enough, you’ll always find something.
To be sure you set yourself up for success for the next year, consider creating a Gratitudes Jar. It’s as simple as it sounds – get a large mason jar (or box or basket – any kind of container, really), some paper and a pen. Every day, write down one thing you are grateful for and put it in the jar. That’s it! You can date the slips if you want, but it isn’t necessary. Then, on New Year’s Day of the next year, read all the slips. You’ll realize just how amazing your year actually was.
Create a Fresh Start
New Year’s Day is a time for new beginnings, and nothing feels better than being organized right from the start. In fact, after the inevitable excess of the holiday season, it’s a nice change of pace to simplify and pare down. How about cleaning out your closet? Maybe filling in the new planner that you got for Christmas? Write down all your holidays and important dates right now, so that when the year starts getting busy (usually around January 3 …), you don’t miss anyone’s birthday or anniversary!
For a full-on fresh start, consider starting on a whole-home decluttering process. Check out my posts here on decluttering:
13 Ways You Can Declutter Right Now
What is the Big Deal About Decluttering
How to Minimize Your Kitchen: Kick Clutter to the Curb
It feels great and will help you set your year off in the right direction!
Challenge Yourself
Do you make New Year’s Resolutions every year, only to have them fizzle out about two weeks later? Yeah, me too. A few years ago, I tried something new. I DIDN’T make any resolutions! WHAT??? That’s right – it’s NOT actually a rule. So I said nope, not doing it.
What I DID do was find a challenge that I could be excited about, and I signed up, and stuck with it! I challenged myself to read 25 books over the course of 2019, and I ended up reading 26! Let me tell you, that felt good. I felt accomplished and like I want to do it again this year. My goal for 2020 was 30 books and 2021 was 35. So far, I’ve read 44, and I might finish #45 by year’s end! I’m using GoodReads to track my challenge – you might want to give it a try! It’s free to use and you can get some really great suggestions and follow what your friends are reading as well!
The challenge you undertake doesn’t have to be reading – it could be posting a photo to Instagram every day, or taking a walk around the block every day, or calling a friend at least once a week. Choose something that is meaningful to you, as it will make it easier to stay with it. Once you’ve been working on it long enough, you will have formed a habit, and it will be second nature.
I read every night at bedtime now, so adding in another challenge will work just fine for me! I don’t suggest you try for too many at one time – don’t overwhelm yourself. The whole point is to enjoy the challenge, and give yourself a feeling of accomplishment.
Just Take It Easy
How crazy busy was last year for you? If you are anything like – well – EVERYONE, it was a bit of madness mixed with some crazy and chaos. So you know, there’s nothing wrong with just taking it easy for a day. Curl up with a good book, a movie, your cat or your favourite humans and just be. Enjoy the quiet, soak in a bubble bath, reflect on your year, laugh and love.
However you choose to spend it, I hope you figure out how to have the BEST New Year’s Day for you!
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