How to Enjoy New Year's to the Fullest

Stereotypical New Year's Eve celebrations involve dressing in glitz and going off to dance amidst showers of confetti, all while promising to keep those New Year's Resolutions this year and counting down to that midnight kiss. Fireworks explode into the night sky and everyone cheers and hugs as the clock strikes midnight. The best part of New Year's, more than all the shine and celebrations, is the idea of that new start and hope for a year that is much better than the last.

The first step in learning how to enjoy your New Year's to the fullest is to accept that not every celebration really needs shimmering attire and rockets shooting into the sky. The most essential part to having the best celebration is to spend it with people you care about. Whether you are taking a trip to the Space Needle, travelling out of state or to another country, or staying at home, counting down to the next new year is best when shared with others that you know and love.

In this article, you will find a few ideas on how to make your New Year's celebrations more enjoyable. With great food and activities for everyone, your festivities will be an almost guaranteed success.

Cooking up some amazing food is definitely a great way to spend some quality time with loved ones. While I have celebrated many a New Year with my family and friends at home, it was not until a couple of years ago that I was introduced to the idea of good luck foods to eat on New Years. I thought it was a great idea and it is something that I have shared with others at my own celebrations ever since.

Preparing foods with a special meaning for the upcoming year not only shows that you put some extra thought into your menu but also gives you a great conversation piece. If you are planning on staying home this New Year's Eve, here are some ideas for foods that are traditionally prepared this holiday to bring good luck or other qualities to the incoming year:

1. Long Noodles: For many Asian countries, eating long noodles are supposed to bring long life. The only tricky part is not to break the noodle before it is in your mouth.
2. Black-Eyed Peas: Of course, listening to the band is nothing like eating some real black-eyed peas with collard greens. This tradition comes from the southern United States, where it is believed that this dish will bring prosperity for the new year.
3. Cabbage: In Germany, Ireland, and parts of the United States, cabbage is supposed to bring luck and fortune.
4. Lentils: In Italy and some other countries, lentils are eaten for good fortune. This is the dish my friend made one New Year's for all of us.
5. Pomegranate: The pomegranate is eaten in Turkey and Mediterranean countries for good luck.
6. Fish: In parts of North America, Asia, and Europe, fish is eaten for a couple of different reasons. One is that it is associated with moving forward into the New Year and the other reason is that it symbolizes abundance.

Whether you are preparing food yourself for your upcoming party or going out to a potluck, these can be some great ideas for dishes to bring or provide for your guests. The best part is, this can be a start to a whole new tradition for you and your family and friends.

Now that you have food and a house full of loved ones, it is essential to have activities to do while waiting for midnight to strike. Here are a few ideas on things you can do, whether you have decided to stay home for the New Year or go out:

1. Make resolutions together. These can be fun to come up with and when you make them together you may be more likely to stick to them.
2. Take a walk or drive to a place that is meaningful for a fresh start.
3. Play board games or videogames together.
4. Watch a movie or a television program associated with New Year's Eve.
5. Count down to midnight together.
6. Plan a celebration of the New Year directly following midnight that is loud and fun for everyone. For example, hand out sparklers for each person to light up at midnight, prepare a toast, or sing a song. Of course, going out to see fireworks is always a fun thing for everyone.

Whether you are going out for New Year's Eve celebrations, staying home with family, or throwing a party at your house, enjoying New Year's to the fullest is all about being with the people you love. Just remember that, no matter what has happened this year, you are celebrating next year and new things that have yet to come.