Is NYE always rubbish? Got any ideas fora better one?

[Legageddon]

Since having kids we just don’t know what to do and feel really in a mix about plans this year

Have no friends who have a party so never had an invite out. Friends we do know have plans with family or neighbours and don’t want to travel.

We have tried hotels away (abroad and even tried Scotland for a bit of Hogmanay spirit), cottage in middle of nowhere with local pub to walk to, had a nice meal with kids and an early night, few fireworks at home, ignored it completely.

It just feels a bit sad and forced and I wish we could completely ignore it but it made us feel worse. Kids are old enough to stay up but we just want a really special fun night that doesn’t mean relying on anyone else.

I’ve been googling muster mystery family breaks of skiing but just can’t decide what would be fun.

AIBU to think it’s possible to have a great NYE that isn’t about getting drunk with friends at a house?

Any ideas of what worked for your family?

Dont most cities have some sort of event?

Why would holidays and hotels abroad and nice meals with family be forced and sad ?

We're staying in as a family, having takeaway or pizzas, watch films & probably put the bells on YouTube for the kids to watch early

This year foregoing parties and going out for a really nice dinner at a 'special occasion' type of place just DP and I. We don't have kids yet but if you could find a sitter it might be a nice excuse for a really special date night! You could do something fun with the kids earlier in the day if they're old enough to want to be involved.

We've stayed in for the last few years. Got some nice food & drink in and had our own party. Watched the fireworks on TV.

Drink & cabs are expensive, getting a cab is a nightmare, you have to pay to get in anywhere, it's too busy, it's too cold to go out for a cigarette if you get tickets to go anywhere.

This year is going to be shit anyway, it'll be the first anniversary of a death in the family so no festivities in our house, or we'll get blind drunk.

We have friends with similar age kids over at about 3pm. Champagne buffet tea at around 5 and we're all Tucked up in bed by 10 to sleep off the hangover!!

Love it. Gone are my partying days.

We stay in too. We get some nice food and bubbly and chill out. We don't have expectations of it being great though so the night doesn't have to live up to anything. I'm sure if we felt we were supposed to be having a great time we'd be disappointed, if that makes sense.

What about a pantomime? That’s what we usually do, watch the panto then a late family supper and home in our pjs for the bongs on Tv with a cocoa!

Used to go stay with friends but haven’t for a few years. Normally in bed by 10 now!

This year though my sis and her family are coming to stay for a few days over new year so plan is lots of nice food, drinks, board games and bed whenever anyone wants. No forced having to have fizzy champagne at midnight which just gives me heartburn at that time. Instead if I’m still up I’ll have a Baileys and then go to bed.

I think it is a real forced event anyway. I normally prefer to have s nice meal and go to bed early.

We do similar to flowery curtain, except on New year's Day - early night the night before then have friends + kids round the next day. Adults have a drink, each family brings a meal/dessert and then home in time for bed. Really fun.

I’msbottish and fucking hate new year. I actually despise it. I went to one of the street parties once and all I remember is being cold and bored.

My mum cries every year as it’s sad, all the forced ‘happiness’ and then 3 months of bleak darkness. Dark, work,dark, bed for a period that feels never ending and the weather is shite!

I staynin watch the bells tell DH ‘happy new year’ haves drink and go to bed! The only good part is being off work.

I can't understand how holidaying in a nice cottage, a trip to Scotland etc constitutes 'forced fun' I'd bloody love to go away somewhere with dh & dc for new year and would feel really lucky!!

Yes. Always. Everyone hates NYE- they only pretend they don’t. When i’m Queen of All the World, New Year will be in the summer- on the Solstice- and everyone will have lovely Shortest Night picnics.

No kids. Still avoid NYE like the plague. Lots of people who can't handle their drink forcing themselves to stay up until 12 when it's obvious to everyone they should have staggered off to bed hours ago.! Dh djs in a pub and I curl up on the sofa with a book. Bed by 10pm. Bliss!

Think you've forgotten how bloody boring pubs and house parties are on NYE OP. You're missing nothing!

Haven’t done NYE for years in the Party sense - the idea of starting the new year on a hangover is a total no in my book. A hangover on either NYD or Christmas Day is against my own law

We get a nice bottle of wine, nice food from somewhere like Waitrose, get the kids in bed (6 and under) and enjoy our evening then in bed long before 12!!

Pre-kids we’d get together with family and play games and have a bit of a laugh. No cabs, no piss ups. I like to spend NYE reflecting on the previous year and planning the year ahead with new calendars and diaries etc.

I agree it feels like forced fun though, that sense of ‘you simply MUST celebrate and have a crazy wild night’

I think you're trying too hard. Of course it's going to feel forced when you're already trying to plan for it to be "fun". I've never been much of a fan of NYE, even pre-kids. Everything is more expensive or hard to book, overpacked pubs, also hard to get home as limited taxis etc. I'm over it though. I'm quite happy having a takeaway and a few drinks at home and watching a film or something. I baked with the kids last year during the day so we had some nice family time and treats to eat later. I enjoyed that far more.

I'm not into NYE - even pre kid I couldn't stabd being out. Far too busy, everywhere wants you to pay for tickets and there are too many people who can't handle their drink. Nightmare trying to get a cab too.

These days we stay in - usually invite the couple next door round and have something like a homemade curry, nibbles and drinks and watch it on the telly.

Suits us all - nice, relaxing, calm and no one pays over the odds of has to battle to be home.

Personally, I wouldn't try to plan anything particular for the sake of it as then it will feel forced. Just plan something nice and relaxing at home and enjoy!

The problem is that you feel like you HAVE to stay ip and stay sober enough to see midnight. IME the real fun starts at about 12:30 when everyone relaxes.

So, when I am queen of the world NYE celebrations and clock bonging will be at 10pm also I will take over the running of the Dartford Crossing and bring world peace

It's just another Eve. Next day is next day. OK some love it that's fine.

Forced jollity is rubbish.

Take away and games night with a bit of Frank Sinatra on Vinyl playing in the background. It's a tradition now, DCs are 7, 14 and 17...we get the poker out once DD is in bed.

Also Scottish and I hate Hogmanay 🙈 This year DH is on shift 31st and the 1st so it's me, Jackie Bird in a sparkly frock on the telly and a hot chocolate. If I cba staying up.