New Year's Activities & Traditions - 10 Ideas For Families, Groups, & Couples

Let's just assume that we all will stay up late on New Year's Eve, have a blast at a party with family or friends, eat a lot of candy and food, kiss someone 'special' at midnight - and then wake up in the morning (after sleeping in) and watch a parade, catch a football game, and make some New Year's resolutions.

In addition to these common traditions and activities on New Year's - here is a list of some more fun ideas for families and people everywhere of what to do as you bring in the New Year:

1) Campout in the Family Room: Let the kids stay up late, and everyone sleep out in the family room together. Have a party - play games together as a family, get lots of candy, watch the ball drop, rent a movie, etc. - just have a fun night together.

2) Predictions & Guesses: Each person in the family writes down their predictions for the upcoming year: will their be a marriage, a new baby, what world events will happen, who will win an election, what team will win the Super Bowl, or any other significant world or family event. Write them down, collect them, store them, and then look at them the next year to see who was right.

3) Christmas 'Thank You' Notes: Get out some cards and everyone write thank yous to grandparents, family, and friends who gave gifts to you that year.

4) Turn the Clock Ahead: If you have young kids, turn the clock ahead so that they can still enjoy the fun of celebrating the New Year.

5) Gift Giving: Considering all the gifts that the kids received at Christmas time, have each child buy or make a gift for someone in need. Go to the local orphanage, homeless shelter, or to sick kids at the hospital - and give a gift to a child in need.

6) Winter Camping & Vacation: Go camping with friends or as a family ... yes, in the winter time. Or, just make it a tradition to have a family winter vacation.

7) The Resolution: We all write resolutions that are kept for a good 3-4 days (right!). This year, choose just one habit to break, or one resolution to stick with, or one relationship to improve, or one talent to develop, etc. - and commit to it and DO IT!

8) Put Away the Christmas Decorations: Make it a yearly tradition to take down and put away the Christmas decorations together as a family.

9) New Year's Meals: Every year, sleep in and have a large brunch and dinner as a family. But, ensure you have the same traditional meal every year.

10) Family Resolutions & Planning: In addition to writing personal resolutions, write and commit to some family goals. Perhaps it is spending more time together, each child helping around the house more, parents being more kind and loving, have more 'family nights' together, etc. Also, pull out the calendar and plan for significant events and family vacations in the upcoming year.