New Year’s Eve is one of our favorite days of the year to celebrate. It’s a holiday all about personal growth. And the whole world collectively agrees to reset and refresh. What could be better than that?
In our youth, NYE parties were a little wild. There are probably even a few parties you don’t remember well. While all that makes for some fun memories . . . we’re grown-up now with families, careers, and less tolerance for loud music and excessive amounts of alcohol. (Welcome to your 30s, right?)
But, that doesn’t mean the celebration should stop. New Year’s is just as important as ever.
Instead, we should brainstorm new ways to celebrate that are family friendly. Friends and family members, regardless of their life stage, should be able to come together and celebrate New Year’s Eve. In a way that’s kid-friendly, but still classy and fun.
So, today, we’re sharing some ideas on how to have an unforgettable party for New Year’s Eve with your family.
We’ll share ideas for family-friendly themes, activities, music, food, drinks, and more. Here’s how to have a blast this NYE—kids welcome!
Classy and Fun: New Year’s Eve Party With Family Ideas
It may seem difficult to host a family-friendly New Year’s celebration that’s not tacky, forgettable, and all about the kids. But, there are actually lots of ways you can have an NYE bash that’s elevated, elegant, and glamorous while still serving your younger guests. We promise your days of hosting the most Instagrammable NYE parties are not over.
Why is New Year’s Eve Celebrated?
NYE is a time of celebration and reflection on the year that’s past while looking forward to the year ahead. People often spend time setting goals (or resolutions) and getting hyped about what’s to come.
Honestly, it’s a symbolic fresh start that’s good for the soul.
A Quick Guide on How To Plan A New Year’s Eve Party With Family
Step 1: Set a budget.
The first thing to do when starting the party planning process is set a budget. This way, you can balance your expectations and wants with what you can afford.
Step 2: Choose a theme.
A theme will be like the springboard for all other planning. Plus, it gives your guest a good idea of what to expect before RSVPing. You’ll find some theme ideas below.
Step 3: Set a dress code.
Once you have your theme, decide how you want your guests to dress. Think about the friends you’ll be inviting and what kind of dress code they’d appreciate. If your friends love to dress up their whole fam for Instagrammable moments, feel free to go fancy.
However, if your friends might find something extravagant too much of a hassle with young kids, opt for casual clothes or something simple but still chic.
Here are more ideas on what to wear on New Year’s Eve.
Step 4: Create a guest list.
Next, write out your guest list.
Include everyone in the family to make sure you get an accurate headcount. It’s a good idea to note ages too.
Step 5: Set a date and time.
Time to get the party on the schedule.
If it’s a NYE party, chances are it’ll be on New Year’s Eve, but make sure that’s specified and you decide on a time for everyone to show up. Keep in mind that families with young kids may choose to leave before midnight, so don’t start the party too late.
Step 6: Send invitations (either digitally or physically.)
Now that all the important details are ironed out, send out invites.
This can be a simple text or email, or you can send out physical invitations to class up the event even more. Lauryn loves to use Bliss & Bone for her invitations.
Step 7: Recruit anyone you may need to help.
Parties are a lot of work. If you want to recruit a co-host, hire a caterer, or something else, assemble those vendors and helpers early.
Step 8: Think about kid-friendly areas and childproofing.
Depending on the age of your children, your house may or may not still be childproof. When a house isn’t childproofed, it can really take from the enjoyment of the parents coming because they’re constantly having to chase down their kids to prevent them from hurting themselves or breaking your stuff.
So, consider how you can make kid-friendly spaces and childproof your home if necessary to ensure everyone has a good time.
Step 9: Consider other accommodations for other ages.
Will there be babies present? Maybe you need a quiet room where they can sleep later in the evening. Are a lot of your mom friends nursing? If they prefer a private nursing area, set that up. Potty training kiddos headed to your home? Make sure there are step stools and potty seats available.
These types of accommodations will make your NYE party actually family-friendly.
Step 10: Purchase and DIY decorations.
Next, collect all your decorations. Keep it classy, don’t go overboard, but ensure that the whole party space matches the vibe you’re going for. Think about your entryways, tablescapes, wall decor and more–these are excellent places to decorate.
Step 11: Create a family-friendly food menu.
Food is one of the most important parts of any great party, especially an NYE party. However, with kids, you want to make sure your menu is classy but still kid-friendly. A good mixture of adult favorites and kid staples is the best way to go. We’ve shared some ideas below.
Step 12: Don’t forget about drinks—make cocktails and mocktails.
The only thing more important to an NYE over food are the beverages. However, if this is a family-friendly affair no one is getting plastered and the kids deserve to have special drinks, too.
So, include plenty of alcohol and non-alcoholic options to keep the event classy but still fun for everyone.
Step 13: Prepare games and crafts for all ages.
Choose some fun New Year’s Eve-centered party games, crafts, and activities that are appropriate for all ages. Think about things all family members can do together as well as stuff for the kids to do on their own while their parents chat. Again, we’ve got some ideas below just for this.
Step 14: Curate an upbeat, family-friendly playlist.
Music sets the whole vibe for the party. When making a playlist, first think of the theme, and then remember everything needs to be family-friendly. Your 90s rap may need to be shelved for this event, but your pop playlist is probably perfect.
If you’re struggling to think of kid-safe music, just go with something instrumental or some smooth Bossa nova from Lauryn’s Spotify.
Step 15: Decide what your countdown activity is going to be.
The biggest part of the evening is the countdown to midnight.
Make sure you have a concrete plan on what’s going to happen when that ball drops to make that moment super special.
Step 16: Purchase or DIY your party favors.
A small gift for party-goers is a great way to end a classy event. Don’t go for cheap gift bags or tossable trinkets. Be thoughtful about what you’re offering. After all, it’s the first gift of the new year.
Step 17: Make a plan for clean-up.
Clean-up for any party is a big undertaking . . . even more so with kids. Make a plan for clean-up or hire someone to come in, so you’re not stressed about it at 2:00 am when everyone is gone.
Step 18: Assemble everything and ready yourself for guests.
All there’s left to do is set-up and confirm all the pieces are in place for a perfect party.
Step 19: Host your unforgettable New Year’s Eve Party.
Host your unforgettable family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration, but don’t forget to have fun.
It can be easy to get caught-up in the hosting duties. However, you deserve to ring in the new year with positive energy, too. Make sure you eat, have some drinks, talk with your friends, and just have a good time.
Step 20: Thank everyone for coming and wish them a happy new year.
Wave everyone goodbye and thank them for coming. Don’t forget to wish them a happy new year as well one last time. Here’s to 2025!
Ideas For New Year’s Eve Parties With Family
Theme and Decoration Ideas for a Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Party
Winter Wonderland: Silver and white decorations, snowflakes, icicle lights, artificial snow, all white dress code (or add pastels to the mix!)
Pajama Party: Fairy lights, cozy blankets and sitting areas, pillow forts, pajama dress code
Glow Rave: Neon decorations, black lights, glow sticks, bubble machine, neon party-wear dress code
Black Tie: Elegant black and white color scheme, glittery centerpieces and decor, crystal glassware, candle lighting, black tie dress code
Decades: Stations decorated for each decade, party lighting, decades assigned to each family for dressing up
Food and Drink Ideas for a Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Party
Main Dish: Mini pizzas, sliders, taco bar, baked macaroni and cheese, chicken wings, meatballs, quesadillas, mini hot dogs/pigs in a blanket, stuffed bell peppers
Appetizers: Charcuterie board, crudité platter, fruit skewers, stuffed mushrooms, mozzarella sticks, deviled eggs, pretzel bites with cheese dip, hummus with pita chips, caprese skewers, bruschetta
Sides: French fries (or sweet potato fries), garlic bread, mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, caesar salad, fruit salad, pasta salad
Desserts: Cupcakes, tiered cake, brownies, chocolate fondue, decorated sugar cookies, fruit tart, ice cream sundae bar, cake pops, rice krispie treats, mini cheesecakes, donuts, chocolate-covered fruit
Stations: Popcorn bar, s’mores station, cotton candy station, churros bar, decorate-your-own cookie station, candy buffet, bar cart
Kid-Friendly Drinks: Sparkling cider, fruit punch, lemonade, hot chocolate, milkshakes, smoothies, virgin mojitos, virgin pina coladas, snow globe mocktails, juices, infused water, iced tea
Adult Drinks: NYE Aperol spritz, old fashioned, martini, champagne cocktail, sparkling cranberry punch, margarita, pomegranate fizz, pink sparkly new year’s eve cocktail, coconut/cacao cocktail, smoked cocktails
Games and Activities Ideas for a Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Party
Charades
Board Games
Minute To Win It Games
Scavenger Hunt
Relay Races
Karaoke
Trivia
Photo Booth
Making Resolutions
Time Capsule
Dance Party
Sparklers and Glow Sticks
Campfire
Favorite Movie Marathon
Craft Ideas for a Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Party
Noisemakers or Confetti Poppers
Party Hats or Crowns
Countdown Clocks
Wish Jars
Sparkly Slime
NYE Cards
Firework Salt Painting
Vision Boards
NYE Garland
DIY Snow Globes
Music Playlist Ideas for a Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Party
Pop Hits
Disco
Electronic/Dance
Classic Rock
Disney Classics and Movie Soundtracks
80s and 90s Hits
Motown and Soul
Party Anthems
Winter-Themed Song
Instrumental Covers of Hits
Jazz and Swing
Decade-Specific Songs
Ball Drop Activity Ideas for a Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Party
DIY Balloon Drop
Mocktail and Cocktail Toast
Fireworks
Confetti Cannons
Bubble Party
Dance Party
Party Favor Ideas for a Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Party
Mini Bubbles
Candy and Chocolate
Gourmet Popcorn
Photo Booth Prints
Bath Bombs
Resolution Cards
Hot Cocoa Kit
Time to host the best NYE party ever—kids included!
If you’re used to hosting an adults-only NYE celebration, maybe it’s time for fresh New Year’s traditions that are fun and fulfilling for the whole family. Use these ideas to plan and host the perfect party and let us know how it goes in the comments.
We can’t wait to hear how you rang in the new year.
And if you’re looking for casual or dressy NYE outfits, be sure to browse Lauryn’s LTK collections. It’ll give you a ton of chic ideas.
Cheers to 2025!
x, The Skinny Confidential team
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PARTY TRICKS:
