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It's no secret that the CDC is saying that traveling, gathering, celebrating (on a basic level), and gathering in groups puts us at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. Many of us are doing all we can to avoid finding ourselves in that situation, which has meant sacrificing special events, celebrations, and days that mean the most to us throughout our year. Whew! Who knew we would be entering 2020 to live through a pandemic?!! Wild year.
Even though this year has been FULL, it is still a year worth reflecting on and paying homage to, even if that looks a bit different.
One of the most powerful things we can do when things feel out of control is taking it back in the areas where it makes sense and owning the parts of our stories we can change. 2020, at times, has felt like we are being dragged through, but we can take those lessons and turn them into something we can remember to positively catapult us forward into another beautiful year.
I took some time to reflect on this year, and in all of its bad, there have been some really beautiful, important, and defining moments that I never want to forget and I am positive my kids feel the same way. So I took a few moments to come up with a few cool ways to ring in the New Year with your little ones and to memorialize 2020, a year that has truly changed us all.
If you are looking for some unique ways to RING in the New Year and to make it special, check out some ideas below.
Just because we can't do it the way we're used to doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate at all AND in style no less!
12 Quarantine New Years Eve Ideas to Ring In 2021 With Your Kids, At Home
Here are a few really special ideas for families to get your littles involved in closing out and celebrating the end of the year and ringing in the new one on a positive note (even if we have to be inside to do it).
Make A Scrapbook of Special Memories of 2020 With Your Children
take time and gather all of those cell phone images, print them out, and make a scrapbook of all of your 2020 adventures and ups and downs this year with your kids. Have them answer questions around their favorite memory, the most impactful change they made, something they don't want to forget, and collage or draw images to create a memory book of this year that you can reflect on as a family
Create A Time Capsule
gather items around the house that represent the year - what did you eat, what did you listen to? what did you play with? write a letter, put pictures on a thumb drive, and bury it in the backyard or place it in the attic or basements with directions /instructions on when to open it. Such a fun way to recap the year and bring these memories to the forefront years from now.
Have A Movie Night Marathon
have every member of the family pick a movie, grab your favorite blankets and snacks, and do a movie marathon all night long. Time the movies just right and jump off to join a tv countdown and ring in the New Year.
Make A Giving Calendar for 2021
2020 exposed just how much need there is in the world. How many are lonely and suffering? Make it a point to be a light and create opportunities throughout the year to give back and serve others and schedule it onto your calendar as you would a special date, appt, or vacation. Get the kids involved and play to their individual strengths so that your giving "events" are varied and are enjoyable for every member.
Create A Family Vision Board or Host a Virtual Vision Board Party
Sit as a family and create a vision board around everyone's goals and goals for your family. Be intentional about how you create it and frame it and have it be a central focal point of your home to look at and reflect on throughout the year.
Start a Gratitude/Happiness Jar
Find a mason jar, a box, something that can be used to collect important moments, ideas, thoughts, happy moments for the next year. Keep a pen and post-it notes close by so that family member can easily deposit happy moments to reflect back on at the end of next year.
Pick a Family Quote/Mantra/Word or Scripture to Meditate On For 2021
Take time and reflect and chat as a family and pick a virtue word that represents where your family is hoping to go OR goals for the coming year and put in on the refrigerator as a reminder of where your focus as a family should be.
Make A List of Things/Habits You Hope to Move Past And Burn It Up
This year has been hard and maybe it brought some of your less attractive habits or qualities to the forefront. Write those things down on a paper and ways you hope to improve or build upon them next year and burn the paper up to create a fresh NEW start.
Create a Family Meal Together
Cook in the kitchen together. Create a fun family meal that everyone, big and small can have their hands in and be a part of. Plan a menu, shop for the ingredients, and close 2020 with togetherness time around the table, reflecting and connecting.
Plan A Virtual Family Toast With Family & Friends Near and Far
Gather friends far and wide and toast to the New Year on your favorite online platform. Give each person time to reflect on the past year and project for the coming and close out with a collective "Cheers!"
Do An Appetizer Trade
Trade appetizers with your quarantine squad. Everyone cooks their favorite appetizer and makes several batches, and then meets in the middle to trade to have your own fun party at home with the special touches of a large gathering with friends: their food.
Create A Family Playlist of Songs to Commemorate and Remind You of 2020
So many different songs and trends of 2020. Spend some time gathering them into a playlist of hits that you and your family will never forget. "Remember that year we stayed home? Pull out the jams and throw them in rotation," for years to come. Let everyone put their top 5 favorite songs on the playlist for memory's sake.
AND below a few other fun rituals to add to the night:
Diffuse your favorite oil and scents to set the tone for the year
Open the front and back door at midnight to let new energy flow through your home
Grab a leaf and place it in your wallet (my grandma always taught me that if you have a leaf in your wallet at midnight, you'll have money all year long)
Throw coins through the front door into the house to represent prosperity all year long.
How do you plan to spend New Year's Eve this year? Do you like my ideas? Do you plan on using any? Tell me in the comments or add your own traditions and give me some cool ideas.
Happy New Year friends!
with strength, courage and wisdom,
Tash
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