New Year’s Eve at home

[Ofmypencilcase]

With Dh and Dd, 3.5, any ideas what to eat/do to make it a bit more of an event than a normal day?

What are your plans?

I'm a single parent of one child. Honestly NYE is the one night I actually don't want to go out and party! I've never been into it.

I'll make myself some nice cocktails at home, I'm taking DS to a dessert shop in the afternoon. Probably won't even stay up to see it in.

I'm loving reading about everyone's nice quiet plans at home. I feel sorry for those who would like to be celebrating in a bigger way. When I was young I loved the big evenings and have lots of great memories. Later it was spent more quietly with one or two couples, a nice meal and a game. Then it became about new years day, starting the day with a walk with loved ones. We do sometimes so the latter, we do have plans for a special meal, but I'm fortunate and grateful that all of our days are like this now so the that will make this one different is the fireworks!

When our children were young we would enjoy a romantic dinner for two on NYE with a glass of champagne and an early night, followed by a new years day lunch that they could join with family or friends and a walk the next day. Followed by a few resolutions that would inevitably drop by the wayside the week after.

This year we are going to a friends dinner party with our teens. I don't much like NYE either and not worried either way. I prefer NY day and the new fresh start of the year. Planning holidays, summer parties and good healthy meal options.

@WhatTheEll

Posh cheese, champers and HOOTERNANNY 🎉

Bosomy Grandma?

in my younger fitter days If i wasn’t at a club or a ball i wasn’t happy. My ex never liked NY but he would stay up for me watching Jools Holland which i hate. My ideal NY now would be special food of some sort, film then going to bed with my partner, with baileys, some nice music and cuddles 🥰

I love NYE but can't quite put my finger on why. We have 2 little dc who are asleep in bed, we get a nice take away and have a drink. Watch a film. Watch a countdown on TV and then look at the fireworks out of the window (we live on a hill overlooking a city). Not much really but sort of feels special.

NYE afternoon we are going bowling with dc and on NYD we are going for a woodland walk with my parents and possibly siblings, then out for lunch.

I hate NYE. It always feels like we’re forcing something out of nothing. I wish I could just go to bed and ignore it completely.

I'll be doing everything to avoid Jools Holland. I'm sure they unbox and plug him in just for New Year.

When my children were younger I'd take them to the cinema after dinner then home for a special dessert. They were allowed to stay up till midnight but rarely managed. They found it very exciting though.

Now they're older, the older one goes to
festivals and I'm letting the younger one loose in the city with a friend for an hour to check out the lights, then back home to toast marshmallows, play in the spa, music etc. they're so excited 😆

I've never celebrated NYE. Forced jollity. DH is working both days from 6am so we will be in bed by 9.

I’ve always loved New Year, and we’ve never been in just thr 2 of us, and never not stayed up to see it in. Often chucking a dark haired man 8n to the cold to first foot.

London outside county hall for millennium, Paris at new year, or just friends round.

This year we were supposed to be going out for dinner and a bop with friends, but we all felt we couldn’t coz covid and we cancelled and are now at a bit of a loss. Might be first new year just us, which I 8magine will be something nice to eat, a film and an early night….

Bosomy Grandma?
Yes 🤣

We always stay in, me, DH and DS's 7 and 10. We have some party food, music on and play board games. We also keep a gratitude jar throughout the year and read it out on NYE. It's actually a lovely evening, after DS's are in bed we usually watch TV until midnight.

We usually stay in or maybe cobble a joint buffet together with ndns. But both houses have cunting covid so that's a no go.

In the past we've had party food, watched a film and played poker. Usually in bed by 10pm. Not a nye fan but I usually do a big nyd dinner for 14/15 so up early prepping everything.

I’ve spent a few NYE’s in different countries and it makes you realise how pointless waiting up until midnight is. Because it’s midnight at different times everywhere.

This year we’re celebrating Japanese new year, which will be at 3pm. We’re going to raise a cup of sake. Then play some board games. Then I’m going to prepare some Japanese snack foods and we’re watching a Japanese movie (with subtitles!) early evening. The whole thing will be done and dusted by 9pm (which is when I like to go to bed!) but will still be a celebration.

I cook a few nice bits of food, have a few drinks. The younger kids will be in bed as normal, teen dc will be up with us to see in the new year.

Not entirely sure. Dentist at dinner time for me and DS(5). Get some picky bits and dips from Tesco on the way home. Hopefully have sourced some sparklers for DS.

Dh in work so hoping that it all doesn't kick off and he comes home safe in one piece.

@shrunkenhead

High tea is afternoon tea ie posh little sandwiches and little cakes on a pretty cake stand with tea in a China tea pot drunk out of China cups and saucers.

In Scotland, High Tea, is a meal, something like a mixed Grill possibly, and it's accompanied with Tea and toast and then cakes and scones. It's served between four and six pm.

We've always made an event of NYE to chase away the bad memories I have of it as a child.
Some of the things we've done:
Spent the evening fishing at the beach,
Stayed in the Snowdon ranger youth hostel.
Stayed in London to watch the fireworks and went skating at Somerset house.
Local parties in pubs or hotels.
Mini Glastonbury in tents in the garden.
Casino night with relatives over the Internet.

With a 3.5 year old I'd probably have a little bonfire in the garden with some toasting marshmallows and glowsticks.

There's some lovely ideas on this thread, I hope everyone has a fab time! We've decided on a Harry Potter marathon for the film choice (starting early afternoon and getting through as many as possible before midnight), and our favourite Chinese takeaway.

@TheBitterBoy

We rarely go out for NYE. Always a nice three course meal from M&S, champagne, and the Big Fat Quiz of the Year (recorded from Boxing Day) on TV

Are you my husband??

@MsTSwift

So two entirely different descriptions of what high tea actually is 😁. Sounds made up to me.

Historically, high tea was a meal served to the children in the nursery by the nanny. They wouldn't have had afternoon tea (cucumber sandwiches and naice dainty cakes) earlier in the afternoon, neither would they be having supper later in the evening. So, in effect high tea was their last meal before bedtime.

We used to go to a hotel for high tea when I was a kid, on a Sunday, with my grandparents. It was a meal (like fish and chips) always with tea and toast and then some cakes/scones. Usually about 5pm. Totally different to afternoon tea.

I’m in Scotland.

I’m sorry but I can’t stop laughing at “high tea”
Does it consist of naice ham and “picky bits” ?

www.thespruceeats.com/afternoon-vs-high-tea-difference-435327

Here you are @Booksandwine80