If you didn’t get your hands on one of our New Year’s eve family countdown kits, it’s OK - we gotcha covered!
We are going to give you the complete list of items to create your own family countdown kit. With exclusive downloadable printables and a quick stop at the store, you’ll be on your way to creating your own fun for New Year’s!
First, gather your supplies! You may even have some of these items around the house.
Here’s what you'll need:
- Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider - You can also use lemonade or sparkling water too!
- Neely’s Pepper Jelly - We were so excited to include this amazing pepper jelly in our kits. It makes for the perfect celebration appetizer, plus it's a local small business! You can order it here.
- New Years Eve hats for everyone - it's a must for NYE
- New Years Eve Horns for everyone - let them make noise!
- Special toasting glasses for everyone - we included plastic 2021 champagne glasses but you can use anything for this!
- A big confetti cannon for the midnight explosion!
- 12 Balloons + a sharpie - this will be for our countdown to midnight activities
- A small plastic bin with an airtight lid - this will be for your family's time capsule
- Bingo markers – you can use dried macaroni, dried beans, or small candies
Then, print out our FREE downloads here!
We've included our exclusive 2020 bingo game, over 40 count down to midnight family activities to choose from, and our kids + adults 2020 Reflection sheets.
Next, let's set up for the party!
1. Get your bottle of Martinelli’s Apple Cider in the fridge to chill - ready for the countdown toast!
2. Plate your Neely’s Pepper Jelly - This does not have to be refrigerated until it is open. Pour over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers or serve alongside appetizers and snacks.
3. Set your hats, horns, and 2021 toasting glasses out as part of your decor for NYE!🎈
4. Set the confetti cannon out of reach from littles. The confetti cannons sold in the stores are safe, indoor confetti cannons, but we recommend it be used by an adult. Just follow the directions on the label for a big confetti explosion at midnight.
5. We have included over 40 family activities for you to choose from as part of our FREE downloads. Look through the activities and based on your child’s age and interests, choose 12 activities; one will be completed every hour (or half-hour if you's like). Some of the activities may require you to supply additional materials, most are simple items that should be available around your home. You can choose to either stuff one activity inside each of the 12 enclosed balloons or place the activities in a bowl to select from each hour. Then blow up the balloons and write the hours you will POP on the balloons with the provided marker. Then each hour beginning at noon, pop a balloon and do a family activity of your choice! You can adjust the times and amount of activities you do based on your family and when you want to begin celebrating.
6. Your time capsule activity can be done as one of the hourly family balloon pops (it is listed as one of the 40 activities) or separately. Have everyone in your family select and put items into your "time capsule" that are meaningful and memorable about 2020. Make sure it is something your child will be able to part with for a year. Then seal it and pick a date to reopen it. Think about making this a new tradition for NYE, looking back on the time capsules from the past and creating a new one! On the outside of the capsule mark who the time capsule belongs to (you never know where it may end up after the new year), the date the capsule was sealed and when the capsule can be reopened. We suggest this become a new NYE tradition!
7. Our resolution and reflection sheets are included in our FREE downloads. This activity can be done as one of the hourly family balloon pops (it is listed as one of the 40 activities) or separately. Have everyone in your family fill out a form to reflect on 2020 and see what big goals and dreams you all have for 2021! There is a download for kids and one for older kids, teenagers and adults.
8. Our exclusive 2020 Bingo Game is not to be missed and is included in our FREE downloads. This activity can be done as one of the hourly family balloon pops (it is listed as one of the 40 activities) or separately. If you can, grab some fun prizes to hand out to the winners OR create a fun family trophy item that can be passed from winner to winner throughout the night.
9. Make a Happy New Years banner with butcher paper, printer paper, cardstock, the back or wrapping paper, or any paper you may have laying around.
10. Create some of your family's favorite appetizers/snacks and grab take out from a local small business for dinner, they could all use the business right now.
11. Watch the ball drop and celebrate new beginnings. 2020 will be a year in the history books and you were all part of it. No matter what 2021 brings we wish you and your family happiness, good health, and love surrounding you.
We hope you have a wonderful time celebrating the New Year together! Thank you for allowing us to bring you some family fun to create memories together with your family.
Happy New Year!
Your local Macaroni Kid Publishers,
Beth Neely (Rancho Cucamonga) & Natalie Sanchez (Claremont/Upland/La Verne)
