New Year's Eve party ideas for the whole family

Celebrating New Year's Eve when you're single or part of a couple is entirely different than throwing a party with kids involved.

You might think your choices are either to get a babysitter or commit to a toast after the kids go to bed, but there is another option. It's easy to throw a celebration for the whole family.

Taking a one-size-fits-all approach overlooks ways to make the night special for each member of the family. When kids are old enough to stay up until midnight, reward them with fun plans that will appeal to them as well.

Here are a few ways to do that:

Make it a game night: Pick up a new board game, or grab old favourites out of the closet, and turn the evening into a marathon game night.

• If the ages are spread out, ensure there are games that will appeal to everyone.

Movie night with a twist: Plan to show several movies from the same genre or theme.

Great snack selection: When throwing a party for adults, a wide variety of snacks is essential for a successful event.

• Family events should have food for everyone, too. Have snacks that are easy finger foods so young children and adults can eat them easily. Make familiar treats that everyone knows and loves.
• If you are going to have adult beverages, set up a small table away from the main one with the food and kid drinks.

Decorating for New Year's Eve is a fun way to keep the mood festive. Here are some ideas to make decorating a little more creative:

Resolution tree: One fun way to carry over the holiday fun to the New Year is to take down any Christmas decorations and rename your Christmas tree a "resolution tree."

• Have each family member write a fun and positive resolution on a notepad and secure them to the tree with decorative ribbon.

Family time capsule: Have everyone provide something unique that can go in a capsule you will open at a future New Year's Eve.

Setting up party tables: Get the kids involved in decorating before the party.

• Easy tasks like throwing confetti on the snack table or blowing up balloons make great jobs for kids and let them feel like they have contributed.

The most memorable party will have everyone entertained right up until the stroke of midnight. Like any party, a family-friendly New Year's celebration starts with the planning. Get that right, and everything else falls into place.