It's your baby's first time welcoming the new year. It's probably fair that your New Year's Eve plans are going to look pretty different from last year, as the morning after is probably going to start a bit earlier this time around.
Make it a day and night to remember with these ideas!
1. Dress Up
![a baby dressed in a tuxedo]()
You might not be leaving the house, but it's still fun to get dolled up! Dress your little one to the nines in her fanciest dress or outfit and do the same yourself. It'll set the mood for a special night, no matter what's on the agenda.
2. Host a Baby Party
![two babies playing together]()
Invite friends and their babies to your place for an early NYE party. Set out a smorgasbord of baby purees and finger foods, plus tasty appetizers and festive drinks for the adults. The babies can play while the adults enjoy some grown-up conversation. Before everyone leaves, stage a mock countdown (no matter the hour) and blow some noisemakers.
3. Snap a Family Picture
![a family taking a selfie picture together]()
Capture the last day of the year with a family photo. Set the timer on your camera or enlist a friend to snap the shot (a selfie might not be the best option for capturing everyone in the frame). Make it a tradition by choosing a favorite spot that you'll return to again and again.
4. Throw Confetti
![confetti and balloons]()
Even the littlest of babes will be dazzled by shiny, sparkly confetti tossed in the air. Babies often love bubbles and streamers as well!
5. Reminisce About the Year
![a mom looking at baby pictures]()
It's been a big year for you and yours! Spend an hour with your baby and loved ones looking through photos and scrapbooks from the past 12 months. You'll be amazed at how much your little one has changed already!
6. Go Out (Early)
![a mom pushing baby outside in a stroller]()
Take your baby out for a New Year's celebration in early evening. You'll see many families out celebrating at casual restaurants, the mall, and at other family-friendly spots around town. Check your local play spaces and gyms to see if they are hosting any special family NYE celebrations for one that interests you.
7. Make Two Mom Resolutions
![a mom kissing her baby]()
Commit to being a "better mom" in just one way: maybe you'll promise to take baby to the weekly library story time, or spend more 15 minutes a day playing on the floor with your little one, or start making half of your baby's solid foods. Pick something you personally value and wish you were doing currently. Then resolve to release yourself of any and all guilt you might harbor about your "failures" as a mom, and refuse to compare yourself to other moms out there.
8. Have a Special Breakfast
![a family having breakfast in bed together]()
One advantage to not going out big on NYE is you'll be refreshed come New Years Day. Which means you'll beat the out-all-night crowd to brunch at your favorite restaurant, or be at the front of the line at your preferred doughnut spot. Bundle baby up and take her early out to enjoy breakfast in an uncrowded spot!
9. Start a Calendar
![a writing pad]()
Buy a calendar for the new year and commit to writing down something every day about your mini-me. It's easier to keep up with than a baby book—it takes just a minute to jot down a memorable moment or a new development—and you both will treasure having such a complete record of your baby's first days in the years to come!
10. Create a Time Capsule
![a dad and daughter looking into a box]()
Make a time capsule of some of your baby's things from this first year. Grab a diaper, a favorite outfit he's outgrown, a picture or two, and other small items. Write a special note to your little one for him to read in 10 years. Include your favorite memories of his first year, mention some trends and current events, and share a few hopes and dreams you have for him in the next decade. Then bury it (or just put it somewhere safe) to be opened on NYE in 10 years!