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New Years Eve Party For the Family

New Years Eve has never been a big celebration in my family. Even as a child, I remember one year I wanted to make it a big deal and cut out cheese slices in the shape of numbers and put them on crackers I thought that was awesome, granted I was four. Sometimes we had a few small fireworks but most the time not really much happened as the years ticked on by. Once we had kids, we did a little better and tried to have fireworks (money and weather permitting) or maybe go to a “watch night service” at church or stay up late watching a movie then pray the New Year but nothing I would consider a big celebration.  As I see my kids growing older, I realize that I am losing precious time to make memories and traditions with them so I am stepping up my “game.”

This year we are wanting to have our first “count down party”. We are doing this with just us and our tween-teen children (so it is older kid focused) but you can easily add more people to the party!

Here is the plan:

Balloon Count Down: This is where you take strips of paper, write down what activities are happening the next hour, stuff it in a balloon with confetti, blow up the balloon, then write the hour it is to be popped on it! When that hour rolls around assign a kiddo to pop the balloon sending confetti flying everywhere and the message revealed!! I do suggest you hang the balloons where the clean up is easy or maybe even do it outside on the porch!

7:00 PM ~Outdoor Nighttime Scavenger Hunt~

**Check the weather before planning this one

*If weather is bad or you don’t have any yard space you can adjust this to an indoor game, just turn out the lights!!

Get glow sticks, place them in balloons, blow up balloons, and number each balloon.  Place the balloons in strategic locations in your yard (we have a large yard with a lot of trees so this can get really fun!) On each balloon write a riddle that will give a clue to what item they are to pick up at that balloon location. We use cameras (usually on phones) to document our finds (and everything else LOL), which can be difficult holding a flashlight, camera, and the balloon showing which number you were at, so you can just jot down what you find at each location and number it. Who ever gets the most finds correct or if everyone is correct then whoever is finished first gets a prize. (I always have consolation prizes so feelings aren’t hurt.)

Example Riddle: An item of obsession for little ol’ Scrat, this oak seed wears a hat! (answer: acorn)
Place balloon #1 by an oak tree that has shed it’s acorns!
They either take a picture of the acorn in front of the #1 balloon or jot down “acorn” by #1 on their list!

8:00 PM ~Snacks~

Hot Coco & 2015 Cookies from The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle (go check out the “how too” make the cookies look amazing!!!)

New Year’s Crescent Dippers from Pillsbury (with Ro*Tel® Famous Queso Dip, I add a little milk for creamier dip)

9:00 PM ~Games~

Great fun “teen” games are “Imaginiff Game ” and “Apples to Apples Party Box” {afflink}

10:00 PM ~Remembering & Resolutions~

Set up a slide show of the past year in pictures and remember the good times (yes, and the bad) and write down your new years resolutions

11:00 PM ~Fireworks~ 

Fire off smaller fireworks like black cats, snappers, & play with sparklers then at every 10 minutes mark pop a big one and leave your biggest for 10 second countdown grand finale at midnight!!

12:00 PM ~Dance!!~

Crank up the song Firework by Katy Perry and dance!!

Have a Great New Year!!!

~Becky

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