You may think that celebrating every turn of the calendar year is a little extra. Perhaps you are too caught up with work to plan or just trying to save yourself from spending too much money on a New Year party ticket or dinner reservations. You could even be an introvert wondering what to do on New Year’s Eve at home. Whatever your reason for staying in to celebrate, you can get creative and welcome 2023 in your own style.
From dancing the night away at a New Year’s Eve 2022 party to traveling to the best places to celebrate New Year 2022 in India – everyone has plans. But there is something special about celebrating at home and having your party. Who knows, it might even end up being the best New Year’s Eve 2022 you have ever experienced. While cooking a meal is always a great idea, there are ample ways to celebrate new year at home alone or in the company of family or a few friends. You can celebrate by doing an activity together, bond over the past year’s memories, or even start organising your plans for 2023. While the ideas for things to do on new year are endless, you also need to be mindful about whom to invite or celebrate the end of the year with. Afterall, you don’t want to begin 2023 in a foul mood or with any family drama.
Think of this list as an idea machine that tells you several things to do on New Year’s Eve. You’ll surely find some way to celebrate and welcome 2023 from the comfort of your home.
Celebrate new year at home with a group
1. Host a fancy dinner party
For indoor party animals, the best thing to do on New Year is to invite friends and family over for a formal sit-down dinner. Put up some decorations, wear your best outfit, and plan a menu of your favourite dishes. If you love big plans, you can print out the menu and set the table, complete with a centrepiece and name cards to turn it into an elegant affair. When else would you find the excuse to use to show off your dinner party planning skills, if not now?
2. Have a karaoke party
This idea is a no-brainer on how to celebrate new year at home if you own or can rent a karaoke machine. Or you can play lyrics-only videos on YouTube for a budget-friendly karaoke night. Spend the evening singing your favourite tunes. The best part? You’re in the privacy of your home. So, no one’s going to judge your singing skills and you could seriously belt out tunes.
3. Have a movie marathon
Make a bucket list of your favourite holiday movies and spend the evening snuggled up on the couch watching them back-to-back. Go through any OTT platform’s list of holiday movies, or create your own. You could also plan your marathon around award-winning movies alone, or check out IMDB’s list of best movies to watch. There are several ways to make the night thematic by focusing on an actor’s list, a director’s, or sticking to a genre. You could make popcorn, stir cocktails at home, or simply open a bottle of wine. Don’t forget to order in your favourite meal or even a pizza that you don’t have to share with anyone. If you feel like going big, decorate your living room with a few string lights, and perhaps rent a projector. You won’t think of how to celebrate New Year at home if you can get your hands on a projector, that’s guaranteed.
4. Plan a murder mystery party
You need a theme, a storyline, character description cards, and evidence description cards (or clues). Planning a murder mystery party is not hard, and is a great idea for mystery enthusiasts wondering how to celebrate new year at home. But before you begin making plans, make sure that the guests you invite are equally interested.
5. Set up a cocktail bar
Stir up some fun at home by mixing your favourite cocktails and serving them to your guests. Stepping out and drinking at crowded bars may not be the ideal plan for New Year’s Eve. But if there’s one thing to do on New Year, that’s becoming your own bartender. Look up a few New Year cocktail recipes to try, if you’re feeling more experimental. Don’t be afraid to try new flavours and ingredients that you never thought could work. It’s also a great activity to indulge in if you’re looking for a signature cocktail recipe to call your own.
6. Have a dance party
Turn up the music and let loose with your friends and family. There’s no need to think of how to celebrate new year at home if you’re someone who loves shaking it off. Host a private dance party, let a playlist from YouTube play DJ, and bid 2022 goodbye with every move.
7. Create a DIY photo booth
It’s quite likely that you’re wondering how to celebrate the new year at home because you want photos for the ‘gram without any big plans. So, why not create a photo booth at home for exactly that purpose? Pick a corner in your house with good lighting and hang a backdrop. You can spend some time making props (or buy a few) and hang those around to create a booth. Click photos with your family, pets, friends, partner, and others you would love to create a few memories with.
8. Host a potluck dinner
The perfect idea for how to celebrate new year at home: Sharing a meal. Eating together with your loved ones is never a bad idea. You can cook your favourite recipe and ask your friends or family to bring over one of theirs too. Host a potluck dinner, that way the onus of prepping a feast isn’t only on the host. It’s a great way to share and divide responsibility.
9. Plan a game night
Got a stack of board games? Why are you even wondering how to celebrate new year at home? Break out your favourite board games and spend the evening playing one game after the next. This is the perfect thing to do on new year if you’re hosting a small group of friends or want to stay in with your kids. Some games you can rent and try include The Game of Life, Monopoly, Catan, Pictionary, among others.
10. Host a trivia night
Gather all of your favourite dipping foods and test your knowledge with a round of trivia. Plan a set of questions and invite your trivia buddies over. If you’re someone who loves triva night, this is the best way to celebrate new year at home. You can host an intimate group of friends, and lay out some snacks and drinks too.
11. Host a wine and cheese tasting
Spend big on the last day of the year and bring home a variety of cheeses and wines. A quick Google search will tell you which cheese and wines you can pair, or how to create a charcuterie board. For those who love broadening their palette, this is one of the best things to do on new year at home. You’ll enter 2023 with some knowledge of cheese and with an open mind, willing to explore.
12. Have a bonfire barbeque
It’s getting chilly and that can only mean it’s time to have a bonfire. Gather around a cosy bonfire and spend the evening roasting your own tikkas or marshmallows and telling stories with your friends and family. Instead of looking for more ways how to celebrate new year at home, why not resort to having a tandoori night?
13. Host a private fashion show
Who doesn’t love putting on a great party dress? If you’re a fashionista wondering how to celebrate new year at home, why not host your own little fashion show? Get your friends to dress their best and walk a made-up ramp at home. If you’re a family with young kids, make this a more creative activity for them. You can set up props and get kids to create their own costumes that they have to style and walk the ramp in.
Celebrate new year at home solo
14. Do a DIY spa night
Spending New Year’s Eve alone is never a bad idea, especially if you’re looking for a way to relax. Most of your friends and family will be busy with their own plans, so you can keep your phone away without worrying about the calls or texts you’ll miss. Turn your bathroom into a luxurious spa with homemade facemasks, bubble baths, and scented candles. Pamper yourself and your skin, that way you’ll wake up feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on a new year. If you live alone, this is the best thing to do on New Year’s Eve. Who wouldn’t want to wake up in 2023 a little less stressed?
15. Make your 2023 vision board
Shop for stationery and art supplies beforehand and get set to create your 2023 vision board. Spend the night planning the New Year because when else are you going to get a night of quiet? Before the calendar changes to 2023, create your list of things to do in the New Year. A quick Google search will reveal several ways in which you can create a vision board if this is your first time creating one. A vision board can turn out to be quite helpful, as it will help you set your goals and mindset for the coming year. This is a great way to celebrate New Year’s Eve, especially if you are someone who loves to plan and manifest.
16. Read a book
Does your resolution for 2023 involve books? Avid readers looking at how to celebrate new year at home, get started on your list of books to read. Whether you have a bucket list or still need to create one, what better way to welcome 2023 than while indulging in your favourite hobby?
17. See what the stars have planned
Whether you believe in what the stars have to say or not. Isn’t it fun to find out what 2023 is going to look like for you according to astrologers? Do a quick Google search or browse through your local newspaper. While this isn’t exactly a plan on how to celebrate the new year, you might find what 2023 has in store exciting and maybe that’ll help you celebrate what’s to come.
18. Do a painting or art project
What better way to relax than paint or indulge in art? If you’re wondering how to celebrate new year at home creatively, bring out your paints and art supplies. You don’t have to pressure yourself into creating something big. Paint on a small canvas, sculpt with air-drying clay or make simple collage art. You can do this alone, with your partner, or with like-minded friends. If you have kids, it’s a great idea to set up an art station and spend time bonding over art as a family.
19. Write letters
You write an email every day for work and text your loved ones on the regular. Why not switch it up and send them a letter for the new year? It’s a great way to let the favourite people in your life know how much they mean to you with a letter. Post them on the first day of 2023 and they are bound to feel special. It’s a great way to spend New Year’s Eve because it will make you think of your fondest memories of 2022. Isn’t that a lovely thing to do on new year?
20. Have a hot cocoa bar
When the weather is chilly, who doesn’t love hot cocoa? Gather all of your favourite hot cocoa mixes, and spend the evening coming up with your own creative hot cocoa recipe. Order in ingredients that you want to experiment with and get to work in the kitchen. Sip on all the different hot cocoa recipes you come up with. Do you have a better idea of how to celebrate new year at home that involves chocolate?
21. Make a memory board
You could do this on a board or in a scrapbook. For those thinking of how to celebrate new at home, how about a throwback? Go over your favourite photos and memories of 2022, and print them. Our generation doesn’t have enough photo albums or scrapbooks, so spend the evening creating one by yourself or with your family. It’s a great way to relive the memories of the year, feel grateful, share stories, and bond.
22. Bake and decorate a cake
How often do you bake a cake at home? Whether you’re a novice or an expert, baking a cake is always a great idea. Mostly because you get to eat it at the end! Look no further on how to celebrate new year at home, and spend time gathering baking supplies instead. Find a recipe you’re comfortable with and bake a simple cake at home. You can decorate by yourself or turn it into a family activity before you cut a piece out and enjoy.
23. Plan your 2023 travel
Plan your travel for 2023. It’s common knowledge that tickets are always cheaper if you’re booking in advance. So why not spend the evening locking in your holidays at work before someone else from your team grabs the date? Once you’ve locked that in, get planning for 2023. Spend the evening planning an itinerary or better yet, make your bookings for the year.
24. Watch the fireworks
Climate change or not, there’s bound to be a firework show on New Year’s Eve. While you may not support lighting them, you can take your party of one (or more) to the terrace or to a park from where the sparkles are visible. Enjoy the shower of fireworks up in the air and marvel at how lit up the sky looks. Even if you aren’t willing to plan anything big, this is one activity on how you can celebrate new year at home, without much fuss.
25. List your new year resolutions
Celebrate new year at home by setting your goals for 2023. Bring out your diary and start listing anything you would like to achieve in the new year. Make a list of your goals, and start mapping out what you’ll have to do to achieve them. In this process, you’ll find what steps you have to take to reach your goals and those steps can be what you resolve to do in 2023.