Best ideas for a NYE Night In

[GloGirl]

Been a really long 2015 and my DH and 2 young children and I are spending NYE at home. I really want to celebrate getting through it all.

We will absolutely not be waiting up till midnight though, we are exhausted! And the kids will be in bed by 9 8. Any suggestions on what we can do to make it special?

interested to see this thread as we are planning similar!

Going to have a quiet night in with some delicious food (I will of course magically transform into a domestic goddess capable of cooking dinner party food!) Going to drink a bottle of champagne we had as a wedding present. We do a jar through the year of happy memories so will open that. We'll go out and see fireworks at midnight (there's a public display near us), but other than that stay in.

Love the idea of a photo slideshow, might surprise DH with that one. Will watch this thread with interest for more ideas!

Brilliant thread. We stay in some years, due to the children, but are partying this year - almost wish we were at home now. Love the Guiness Book of Records idea - will definitely steal that!

I second party poppers and sparklers too. Easy nibbly food that you don't have to clear up.

We have a 'formal' dinner party with our DC's. They set the table, we all dress up... full on party dresses, ball gowns, bow ties etc!

We go for low maintenance food, last year we had langoustines to start then steak, dauphinouse potatoes (from marks), steamed veg (also marks) and a really nice bottle of red. Dessert was another marks number then a nice cheese board later to see us through the night. We play music, dance and laugh. I love it.

We stay in on NYE and do either take away or picky, party food tea. A good film, a glass of something fizzy or some homemade cocktails (mocktails for the kids?) and board games. Then we watch the midnight fireworks on BBC and bed. This year I think we'll be at my mum's but will still do the same thing.

Glo Girl Indoor fireworks are tiny fireworks you can set off at table on a metal tray or stone/slate plate. They are usually tiny coloured flames or they grow into ash snakes or just sparkle a lot. We stocked up from the Poundshop one year ages ago and still have a few left. I just Googled them and they are now about £8-20 a pack depending on where you buy them. Not sure they're worth that much but they are fun if you can find them cheaply.

We usually blow up the air bed, drag it downstairs and make a den in the living room. We cook a ham, get some party food in and watch a music documentary, then we put Jools on, drink champagne, run out in the street at midnight then go to bed. Beats going out any day.

Could you make a jar of suggestions, or games, or questions etc... and each person puts a few in there? Making your own game but a bit more personal?

Hogmanay is much better than Christmas if done properly because it's much more relaxed and the kids are less excitable. My Dad use to get his 'Christmas' presents on Hogmanay so maybe an idea to hold back a present for the kids to open that day?

Since we're Scottish we always have spent Hogmanay with family or have it on our own. All kids are sent for a long nap after lunch and told they have to sleep or at least read in bed for a few hours if the y want to stay up for the bells. We then have a late-ish fun tea, homemade pizzas are a big favourite here when it's just us. Dough made in the bread maker, the sauce prepared previously, then everyone constructs their own pizza so not too much work. Lots of wine for the adults. A nice pudding. Then a family film or two for the kids to watch while the adults drink more wine. Jools for the bells. Everyone has a long lie the next day.

I HATE new year with a passion....it's a horrible, maudlin, depressing time of year.....which, as a Scot, is almost tantamount to treason. My remedy is either loads of wine then bed by 11pm thereby avoiding Jackie Bird and/or Jools Hootenany or.....get the kids out of bed and having them around makes it all a bit more bearable.

PS Hogmanay is NOT better than Christmas!

My ex and I used to love New Year's Eve in. Lots of lovely party food, Jools Holland on and just being thankful we weren't out having enforced fun. We lived in the middle of town and spent most of our time peeking at the drunks from behind the shutters all cosy and warm.

It will just be dd and I, as dh must work the overnight shift. We are planning a sleepover in the living room. Dd loves breakfast for dinner, so we will have pancakes and bacon. We are deciding on dvd's right now. Pajamas will go on about 4pm, tea, DVDs, ice cream sundaes and probably asleep by 10pm!

NYE has never been a good night for me and as a result I never go out. DH could care less about it, too, so we pretty much always stay home. Sometimes my brother will pop over for a few hours, sometimes our kids will drop in on their way to a party.

We put out any leftover Christmas food, snacks, candy, & desserts and if there isn't enough to feed whoever shows up I make a pot of chili & put out shredded cheese, onions, crackers, tortilla chips, sour cream etc. Paper plates, cups, napkins, really low key & easy clean up.

We watch NYE TV like 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' and other 'countdown' shows and play poker.

Oh, and I usually fall asleep by 10.30. DH wakes me up at midnight and goes out and shoots off fireworks.

I hate NYE out. I always end up stuck with a sobbing drunk person in the loos, and the sense of desperation and sadness behind the enforced jollity makes me feel on edge.

I tend to cook a massive roast dinner, and open a bottle of slightly more expensive wine than I normally have. Then a movie and after that some music and a glass or two of champagne. Then DH and I go upstairs and watch the fireworks from the bedroom (which has a nice view). We might have a cuddle there too. .

The nicest NYE, though was when we walked miles out from our house into the hills above the city where we live, and watched the fireworks from high above with a hipflask of whisky. It was so romantic but bloody freezing.

I have young DC so I usually babysit my DB (13) while my mum goes out. (She goes out to have a rum in memory of her dad as it would have been his birthday, he raised her alone from the age of 8)

So we order takeaway and watch movies snuggled under the duvets that I've dragged downstairs. The DC pass out and the baby will be put in the travel cot. then we all we all sleep downstairs and wake up in the morning shoving feet out of faces and wriggling away from knees in backs.

I wouldn't have it any other way

Just me and 5yo ds for NYE

He's requested mini burgers and buckets of fries to eat, I have bought him 'pie face' game so fully expect to plat for hours then we will set up camp in living room, watch a film, He will fall asleep and I will drink wine and watch crap telly.
Can't wait :)

There's a card game called 'Pit' and it is the best source of entertainment here for NYE. Everyone takes their turn at the same time so it's very lively!

OMG I LOVED Pit - not played it since the 80's but its a riot.
FOUR! FOUR! FOUR! FOUR! FOUR! FOUR!
TWO! TWO! TWO! TWO!
etc

Just bumping this for tomorrow in case it gives anyone inspiration.

Cheers all