A big bash to bring in the new year is not always the way to go – while some enjoy the big celebration with multiple rounds of drinks and dancing the night away, others would much rather keep it more low-key, and revel in the madness of the outgoing year.
After the roller-coaster that was 2021, it is completely understandable if you are in the hunt for a night of calm. Far from necessary to go out on the town, some of us at Homegrown are much like you, and would rather spend the much-awaited New Year’s Eve doing something that does not involve crowds, energy, alcohol, and staying up till ungodly hours.
Keeping this in mind, we have a few ideas of our own that we would like to share with you; some alternatives to hard-core partying on a night that ordinarily calls for just that.
I. Organise a Game Night
There probably isn’t a better way to move into the new year than to visit your childhood years. In fact, the extreme competitive spirit that shows when engaged in an intense game of Monopoly is enough for anyone to get fired up. Plan it with your family, or have your closest friends over – game night never disappoints.
So we suggest you get cosy with some blankets, grab a drink of choice (no judgements even if it’s plain ol’ milk), and lay down some ground rules before tucking into the likes of Uno, The Game of Life, Pictionary and more.
II. Commemorate Your 2021 Memories, or Create Space For The Ones You’ll Make in 2022
As we near the end of each year, it is almost inevitable to look back and recap of all the memories we made. Looking through the year’s pictures and recalling events with ‘Remember when..’ stories seem to become a must-do around this time.
In the absence of a rager, you could try your hand at some arts and crafts, and attempt to create a 2020 mood board that contains your achievements, happiest moments and most memorable times – essentially, all that you would like to take away from 2021 in a physical form.
You could also flip this idea on its head, and create a board/box/notebook of sorts to capture your best moments of the year to come. A space where every special memory is captured and kept safe. At the end of 2022, give yourself time to go through these and look back at the year that was!
III. A Marathon You Can Win
The hours leading up to midnight are the ones that hold most expectations – of living it up as the final moments of a year going by, but we would more than appreciate sitting in the warmth and comfort of our homes with take-out on our laps, binging some TV shows and movies.
Carry the familiarity of your surroundings into the next year, accompanied by some quality (or trashy, we don’t judge) content, and call it a new year.
To get you started, here is a list of 10 documentaries on Netflix you can entertain yourself with.
IV. A Friendly DIY (Virtual) Competition
With COVID-19 still making its presence felt, it is only acceptable that large gatherings may not be our top priority. Turning this into an opportunity, we suggest you host a competition of your choice - feel free to choose from baking, cooking, cocktail-making, painting, and the new fad of ‘Who can make the best PPT?’
Gather your friends over Zoom, maybe even prepare a virtual poster for the event, and send out the invite. After what we hope would be a rather fun evening, ring in the new year together, and settle yourselves in for the first of January.
V. Hint: New Year’s Eve Falls On A Weekend
If you’re not the kind to want to spend the special eve at home, bust out those city maps and head to a nearby destination for the weekend. A road trip, trek, camp, or anything else you can think of; make the most of your beginning-of-the-year travel and adventure enthusiasm by heading out of the city, and into a space full of new experiences.
An Airbnb booking away, your last getaway of 2021, and the first of 2022 awaits you!
If you enjoyed reading this, we suggest you also read: