Whether you prefer to look back or look ahead, New Year's Eve is filled with opportunities to fellowship with friends, enjoy themed activities and attend the last parties of December's busy holiday season. So, as you try out craft ideas and party plans, here are a few fun ideas to ring in the new year in your Collinwood Assisted Living community.
Locate photographs, news articles, souvenirs, letters or journal entries from the past year and transform the collection into a time capsule. Whether you build it with friends or family, opening it next New Year's Eve is sure to bring about a lot of laughter and memories.
Create a personal time capsule containing the resolutions you've chosen to pursue in the new year. By using a jar or box that easily opens and leaving it on a nearby shelf, you can write a weekly journal logging your attempts and add it to the capsule. After four months, pull them all out and see how far you've come. Study when and how you've succeeded and failed, and utilize this knowledge to tailor new goals that play to your strengths.
Write down dates and summaries of key moments in your life such as "my first class trip in high school" or "my son was born" on sticky notes, and arrange them chronologically on a message board or large sheet of paper. These past experiences can be an interesting way to open communication with visiting family, especially younger members who haven't had the chance to hear you recount childhood stories and special memories.
Hang a clipboard and writing utensil on your door instead of a wreath and invite visitors and passersby to write their wishes for the new year. If you'd like to go a step further, add a note that explains these wishes will be collected and transformed into a prayer list that you, and any others who'd like to join you, will pray over each week.
Buy or make paper party hats, and use markers to write your chosen resolution on one. These cheerful accessories aren't limited to boosting ambience during parties; you can wear them during meals in the dining room as a conversation starter.
Welcome the new year by playing the night away with friends and family. Grab a stack of classic board games, a fresh deck of cards and themed bingo cards for a marathon of fun.
Welcome the new year early in the day by creating a party themed after a country in a time zone ahead of you. This provides intriguing menu and decoration possibilities and ensures you and tired guests don't have to stay up till midnight.
If you have plans for the 31st but have your heart set on hosting a party of your own, take advantage of the international date line. Locations such as Japan and New Zealand begin their new year while its still December 30th here in Fort Collins, Colorado.
If parties and late-night hours aren't your cup of tea, try celebrating New Year's Day. By turning in early and getting up at the crack of dawn, you can witness the first sunrise of the year. Afterwards you and like-minded friends can share that year's first meal together, watch the annual Rose Parade or get a head start on your resolutions.
