Picture this: it’s the 30th of December, and you still haven’t got any new years plans. You’re mentally preparing yourself for the extensive carousel of Instagram stories of acquaintances partying the night away with their friends, seemingly having a blast, all while you’re dreading yet another new year’s eve spent in a “boring” way. If this is the case, here are some enjoyable ideas on how you can spend your new year’s eve, even on such short notice. Whether you’re a party-all-night or an in-bed-by-11pm type of person, there will surely be something on this list that’ll resonate with you.
START WITH A VISION BOARD
For most, if not all, 2023 was filled with plot twists and challenges. With this new year comes new opportunities and new experiences. This is your opportunity to truly sit back and reflect on your year. Figure out what you want to change about yourself, create a vision board, and find things you’ll feel alive doing. Create a pinterest board and add all the pins that resonate with who you want to be. In your wildest dreams, who are you? What do you wear, how do you spend your time, where do you go? Script it all out. You can also write it down, or make a scrapbook, it's completely up to you. Make a list of resolutions, and plan out how you’ll carry them out realistically. Plan a trip, or even plan your next long break out on a day-to-day itinerary. Dream big and pour all your positive New Year's Eve energy into your work.
SPEND TIME WITH YOUR LOVED ONES
Be it your family or friends, there’s nothing like a new year's eve with your loved ones. One of my most treasured childhood memories is watching the Filmfare awards at midnight with my entire family huddled onto the couch, jumping eagerly when the clock struck midnight. While that tradition has discontinued, there are still multiple ways to spend time with your family while still having fun. You could organise a game night with board games galore, or set up a movie night and watch the family favourites. You could also go out for dinner, and then spend time driving around playing music at an incessantly high volume. You can also tune into a virtual event or concert, or have a karaoke night in the living room - the list truly is endless. Toast to how far all of you have come, acknowledge the milestones over the year, and start the new year with your most treasured people.
GO DANCING
You can always go out, if not to a houseparty then to a club, where no other day of the year will be half as energetic as on the 31st of December. This works even if you’re spending new year’s eve alone, for there's no place better than a dance floor to make new friends. Surrounded by the bustle of a humongous crowd, you're bound to have a good time and a great start to the new year. Or if you’re not planning on going to a party, why not bring the party to you? Order in some food, go grab some drinks, set up a sound system and call up all your friends asking them to come over. This may be hard to do on such short notice but it's not impossible - and they say where there’s a will there's a way.
BINGE WATCH YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIES
If you’re the type of person who enjoys having a quiet night in, the best start to the new year could be to binge watch your favourite movies. Some great new year’s watches are Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, ZNMD, Dil Chahta Hai, Dil Dhadakne Do, About Time, Sleepless in Seattle, Carol, When Harry Met Sally, or if you're looking for a more gangster approach, Oceans 11, The Godfather II or even one of the James Bond movies. Microwave some popcorn and crack a cold brew open, and you’ve got yourself one of the most comfortable ways to spend new year’s eve.
WATCH THE BALL DROP
There's nothing like watching the ball drop in Times Square, New York at 12am, even on TV. There are also many other shows you can watch to light up your night, such as a livestream of the Burj Khalifa NYE show in Dubai, or the NYE Celebration at Reunion Towers in Dallas. A lot of malls and hotels still have their Christmas decorations up, so you could also go and spend your new year’s looking at the stunning lights. You can also tune into a fireworks show - though if you live in a metropolitan city like I do, looking out of the window will accomplish this goal just as easily.
DRESS UP TO GO NOWHERE
If you’re completely over the idea of getting all decked up only to be walking on a dirty floor barefoot and sweaty by the end of the night - dress up with nowhere to go to. Put on that going-all-out outfit, your 2024 sunglasses, and spend the night at home with takeout food. Maybe call up a friend while you’re at it. It's the perfect excuse to dress up extravagantly, all without the added trouble of finding a cab back home at 3am.
PLAN A SPA DAY
Whether you’re a student or working, you’re bound to be exhausted with the meticulous routine and the winter weather wreaking havoc on your hair. Plan a spa day, complete with a shopping spree, facemasks, mani-pedis, a massage, and anything else you can think of. Spend the day indulging in self care, whatever your definition of it may be. This new year is all about new opportunities, and in order to make the most out of it, you have to be energised and a big part of that motivation comes from feeling good in your body.
One of the things I love most about New Year’s is that there’s no inherently “wrong” way to celebrate it. As the year comes to an end, it’s time to think about how to welcome the new one and make it special.
All the best everyone, and Happy New Year!
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