New Years Party

Plenty of bottles of ice-cold sparkling apple cider, white sparkling grape juice, purple sparkling grape juice. Warm cider on the stove or in the crock pot is antoher great idea. As for alcoholic drinks - you could say "BYOB. Ice and sparkling juice provided." As for me, I like Reisling wine.

I love the game "Apples to Apples" and it is kid friendly.
The game "Boxers or Briefs" is fun too, similar to Apples To Apples, but there are phrases that may not be for the kids.

You could always do a gift game with the kids. Not sure of the name, but you wrap a gift around a gift around a gift around a gift..... ie: Wrap a dvd in wrapping paper. Then place a jump rope on top of that and wrap. Then on that, place a can or two of play-doh and wrap that. So you end up with one huge package. The kids basically sit in a circle, pass the gift while music plays, then when the music stops, the child holding the gift gets to unwrap that layer and take the prize that they unwrap. Then they leave the circle and the other kids pass gift around until the music stops. Play until all children get a gift.

You could also have a few movies on for the kids if there are too many, and so that parents can take a little bit of a break. Consider perhaps hiring a teenager or two to come be 'helpers' getting kids their plates of food and making sure the kids don't wreck your house, so that parents can take it easy a little.

We have a family New Year's Party every year. I ask everyone to bring a snack to share. We mostly have snacks. People bring games we can all play. We pretty much just sit around and talk.

We have done Sundae bar and people really liked that. We made taco soup last year and that was a big hit.

As for alcohol we usually buy some wine coolers, we have rum & vodka and orange juice and coke and people can bring other stuff they like.

We used have a big NYE's party every year for kids and adults. We hired some kind of "entertainment" for an hour. ie: magician, clown. We also used to put a small bouncy up in our garage. And we served lots of food and all sorts of drinks! Bc we were west coast, we'd toast at midnight east coast time... That way kids weren't up until midnight and I didn't want to be either!

we have a nice dinner usually something splurgy like steak and crab legs! depends on how many people are coming....we usually have 10-15...they bring the steaks, I provide the crab legs. we play games like Catchphrase and fun things on the Wii. at midnight the kids get 7up in real champagne glasses and we all toast with champagne!

I've been to several New Years Eve parties over the years. At some, we play board games. At others, not. However if you have children you do need some organized activity for them or they're apt to run wild. At family parties we've played videos for the kids as well as played board games.

Most parties were BYOB. Host provided soft drinks and mixers as well as an alcohol free punch. You can just have two punches, one alcohol free and not have guests bring anything.

Food has nearly always been finger food (an assortment of appetizers) tho you could have a simple buffet.

We usually have one every year. Sometimes we play games or watch a movie. But mostly we just have snacky foods and hang out and talk. It depends on who comes. We have a veggie platter, fruit salad, chips and salsa, brownies, green chili shredded beef and soft tortillas for taco's or pizza. I'm not sure if we're going to do it this year and it will be the first time we haven't in 8 years. I think my teenage daughter will have a couple friends though. Have fun!!

A separate room with sleeping bags, pillows, a movie and snacks for the kids.

We call them 'piquito sleepovers' (aka not a whole sleepover, since they go home at the end)... but it lets kids have their own little party, rest when they need to, and sleep when they need to.