What to do on New Year’s Eve?

What to do on New Year’s Eve?

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It seems that every year we have the same problem…. Just what to do on New Year’s Eve!

It seems that every year we have the same problem…. Just what to do on New Year’s Eve! There is plenty of choice, it’s just making a decision that suits everyone involved that seems to be the tricky bit. We’ve all got our own issues with deciding what to do: If you’ve got young children then it needs to be family friendly, if you have elderly relatives then a nightclub isn’t going to be ideal.
To make the choice a little easier for you, we’ve come up with five options for celebrating the New Year, each with their pros and cons. Hopefully one of the below will do the trick!

Attend a house party
This option is my first choice to celebrate the New Year. We usually all know one person, family or friend, who is hosting a New Year’s Eve house party. These parties can range in style and scale depending on the host but all usually follow the same three rules:

  1. Bring your own drink, alcoholic or otherwise. Nobody likes a freeloader, and if you want to be invited back next year then bringing your own drink is a must.
  2. Gather in the living room (or garden if there are fireworks) for the countdown. When it’s time to bring in the New Year, everyone needs to be together in the same room to revel in the festivities together. Make sure your drink is topped up and you don’t need to go the loo when the countdown commences.
  3. Don’t overstay your welcome. We are not suggesting that five minutes after the New Year is welcomed in that you leave but you also don’t want to be still there at 5am when everyone else has left and the hosts are dropping hints about being tired and that they’ve got a busy day tomorrow. Try to leave when everyone else decides to call it a night

Who is this best for?
House parties are recommend for everyone really, depending on the host, for example, if the host has children then it’s usually okay for families with children to attend. You will need to gauge this yourself.

Go out for a meal
A staple of New Year’s Eve is going out for a meal with family or friends. A favourite in the office is going for a sit down Chinese meal or a 5 course banquet. This option is really easy as you don’t have to worry about cooking or cleaning up after yourself and you can sit, relax and see in the New Year with very little effort.
A meal for New Year is however very popular, so if you haven’t already booked a seat you may find it difficult to find availability. Some restaurants have different sitting times so if you intend to see through the countdown in the restaurant, make sure you check their arrangements.

Who is this best for?
Going out for a meal is the best option for families with children and/or elderly relatives as there is no restrictions on restaurants and it is usually suited to those who want a more laid back approach. It probably isn’t the best option for the party animal as there is very little option to party like it’s 1999.

Join a pre-organised event
There are various types of event that you can join, big or small. If you live in a large city such as London or Edinburgh then the celebrations in the city centre are usually huge, with firework displays and live music. There are however, other events you can attend on a much smaller scale. One popular one in towns and cities across the UK is going to the local pub. Pub’s usually have small events on which sometimes include, but are not limited to; a buffet, karaoke, a New Year quiz and live music. Some pub events are so popular that you require a ticket to attend so if this sounds up your street get yourself down to the local and enquire what they have planned.

Who is this best for?
Again, this really depends on the event. If it’s a firework show at the local social club then it’s family friendly. Large events in cities are probably best for those who are wanting to party in with a group of people. Pub events are a mix between families and people who like to party, depending on the scene in the pub.

A night on the town
This one is pretty much what it says on the tin. Visiting the local clubs and bars in your town or city. Something a few of us spend most weekends doing anyway, why not replicate this for New Year? For those of you with no viable options then going to a few bars and having some drinks is an easy way of spending the evening. Larger nightclubs may have dedicated events on but smaller bars and clubs are normally business as usual, with added festive tunes thrown in and a countdown at midnight.

Who is this best for?
We would recommend this option solely for the younger people who are looking for a party. It’s not an option for under 18’s as most bars and clubs will have age restrictions and realistically it’s not the type of event that the elderly would enjoy. Still, it’s a great option for those without any plans and does not require any preparation.

In the house in front of the TV
What better way than to see in the New Year than spending it in the comfort of our own home, with a glass of wine / cup of tea, feet up in front of the box? This sounds boring? It’s a cop-out you say? Well let’s face it, it takes no effort what so ever, you can enjoy the festivities by watching it on BBC News from your sofa. Invite your close family round, have a nice chat while listing to some of this year’s hit singles and unwind. Why bother with making an effort for one night anyway? Chances are we are all still recovering from Christmas so staying in and enjoying a low key affair sounds like a plan.

Who is this best for?
The beauty of staying in is that it’s suitable for everyone. Whether you have kids, elderly relatives, close family and friends or just your other half! This really is a one size fits all option!
Not convinced? Yeah, neither are we! Taxi!

Nick Cooper
Nick is NCC's resident blog author and covers a range of subjects, including teaching and health & social care. NCC is an international learning provider with over 20 years’ experience offering learning solutions. To date, NCC has engaged with over 20,000 employers, and delivered quality training to over half a million learners.
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