Happy at Home
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verything is at a premium on New Year’s Eve: Reservations (and babysitters) are hard to come by, as are rides home. So why not skip the crowds altogether and cozy up at home instead? If you decide to avoid the bustle and the fuss, there’s no reason your New Year’s Eve can’t be one for the books. Consider grabbing pillows, blankets and sheets from around the house to make a massive fort in the living room. Snuggle in with the whole family (or just your significant other) to have a marathon of all your favorite New Year’s Eve movies. Go classic, with flicks like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle or
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The Godfather: Part II. For a good laugh – and inspiration for relaxing your resolutions a bit – screen the hit Bridget Jones’s Diary. For family-friendly flicks, Ghostbusters 2 is a crowd favorite. If you want to mix things up, consider Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year or Sesame Street Celebrates Around the World. Is everyone getting sleepy well before the clock strikes midnight? Start a board game marathon. Monopoly is sure to last well into the wee hours, or consider a spirited game of charades or Apples to Apples. A few bottles of sparkling apple juice are a great addition to a family-centric celebration, but consider mixing things up with a chocolate
mock-tini or sparkling sangria served in a special glass. For a chocolate mock-tini, coat the inside of a martini glass with chocolate syrup, then blend together ½ cup chocolate milk, 1 cup of your favorite ice cream and a handful of ice. Pour it into the glass, then top with crushed candy canes (for the adults, consider adding a splash of Bailey’s). Mix up a big batch of sangria by adding sliced apples, strawberries, oranges and frozen grapes to a sparkling juice of your choice. Have your glasses ready and sparklers waiting at midnight so you can toast the new year with the people you love best.