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Holidays in 2020 have been a bit… different (to say the least), and now that New Year's Eve is quickly approaching, it's pretty obvious that it's going to be another moment we need to plan to celebrate differently — though for those of us who became new parents this year, that's doubly true. You might be wondering how to celebrate New Year's Eve in 2020 at all, let alone how to celebrate New Year's Eve with a baby. Though plenty of newborns are still awake when midnight rolls around, chances are your youngest will be fast asleep (and you might be, too).
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on our plans this year, there are still plenty of fun ways to ring in the long-awaited first day of 2021 — even if it means a cozy night at home and a more online New Year's experience than in years past. New year with a new baby — here's what to do to welcome it in style.
How to celebrate New Year's Eve with a baby
Though you might have imagined your baby's first New Year's Eve a bit differently this year, it's time to lower those expectations now: Not only is it a good idea to stay home because of the pandemic, but it's an especially good idea to stay home because your baby is so young. According to CDC guidelines, it's best to avoid travel and spending time with people outside of your household, especially indoors.
That's not a bad thing, though — life with a baby can definitely be stressful, so why not make New Year's Eve a night of relaxation instead? All the pressure is off, and that can be a huge relief for new parents. Keep things simple by planning a fun night in watching the ball drop or having a movie marathon and eating snacks, and this way, it'll be even easier to follow the schedule you've gotten used to with this new little human in your life. It can also be helpful to follow baby mood swings and go with the flow, too. There's nothing worse than battling a cranky baby on a holiday!
It's definitely a bummer if you're not able to physically be with your loved ones this time around, but it is possible to connect for an online New Year's Eve party using an app like FaceTime or Zoom and be with them virtually — and it's good for your mental health, too.
"Being a new parent isn’t easy. It is one of the most exhausting times of our lives," pediatrician Dan Brennan told Noozhawk. "The anxiety of the current pandemic makes everything more challenging. This won’t last forever, but it will take some time. Even though we are all socially distancing, we should not socially isolate ourselves."
New Year's Eve food: Fun for the adults
Just because baby's drinking a bottle and going to bed early doesn't mean their parents can't have fun! Going with the theme of relaxation, it might be best to order takeout and buy a bottle of champagne early. But if you want to cook, there are traditional New Year's foods to try, too. Eating collard greens is thought to bring good luck and prosperity in the year ahead, while black-eyed peas (one pea for each day of the year, of course) are also thought to bring good fortune.
More into a finger-foods New Year's Eve? It's also a great time to cook up a few appetizers and make a dinner out of them. Make a charcuterie board, grab your favorite snacks from the frozen section of the grocery store, or even make a fancier New Year's Eve appetizer yourself. It's your holiday, so you (and let's face it, your baby) call the shots.
Babies who are already starting solids might be able to get in on the fun before bedtime, too — it just depends on what your situation is when the holiday rolls around.
A new year with your new baby: Make it memorable
Staying at home with your baby on New Year's Eve doesn't have to be a bummer — and of course, you'll want to remember it in the future and show your little one pictures of their first New Year when they're older. Take plenty of videos and pictures of baby to share with friends and family who are missing out on this particular holiday with them, so they can join in the fun, too.
And if you love dressing your baby up at every opportunity, good news: This is the perfect occasion to buy a new outfit (or to use one that you've been saving for a special occasion). That can make New Year's Eve even more exciting, and make for some supercute pictures.
With or without a pandemic, New Year's Eve is forever changed after we have kids — that's just a fact. But that doesn't mean it changes for the worst! If we're being honest, being at a party without our new baby would probably mean we'd just be calling the babysitter to see how they're doing every hour on the hour.
"You'll never have to stress about having a date for New Year's Eve, because for at least the next 16 years, you'll have the best date in the world," mom Marsha Takeda-Morrison wrote for Mom.com.
