A Plan for a Relaxed NYE

Despite my post yesterday with ideas for last minute New Years Eve planning, I don't have plans to party on NYE. Before and after 31st, yes, but on the night? Nope.

My NYE grinch-like behaviour comes from a few years of truly awful experiences. Generally fuelled by too much pressure on one night and too much alcohol, they've just been an absolute disaster. So for the last few years we've stayed at home and it's been lovely. Waking up on the 1st without the headache from hell and regrets is also a much nicer way to start the year.

I think we've perfected the art of the chilled NYE, so I thought I'd share a few key ingredients:

Adorable Chinese Food Necklace from jazlenecollection on Etsy

1. Take-away food - we very rarely splurge on take-aways, but NYE seems like a good excuse. We always go for Chinese take-away - it's our favourite - but as long as it's super tasty and means you don't wake up on NYE to loads of washing-up then any take-away will do!

Pajamas All Day Print from LuciaandLuciana on Etsy

2. Yep - as the print says - its all about pajamas (or pyjamas as I normally spell it!) all of the time - day, evening - whatever - maximum comfort is what it's all about - none of that little black dress and strappy heels nonsense. It's all about being about as snuggly as it's possible to be.

3. Film marathon - Put together a list of your favourite films and just start working through them. What's that you say? It's going to take until the early hours to watch them all? Well that's ok - it's New Years Eve. Oh - and if you live in the UK, periodically pause the film just to check whether anyone good is on Jools Holland.

4. Get you game on - yep - dig out those old board games and play them while watching the films and eating your take-away. Just be careful not to drop a vegetable spring roll on the board.

Planner and image from The Happiness Planner

5. Get Planning - This is my favourite NYE activity now - sitting and planning for the year ahead - what do I want to do and what do I want to achieve. It's so great for going into the next year feeling motivated and positive - I can't recommend enough setting a bit of time aside to do this. It doesn't matter what your planner looks like - and it could just be a plain notebook - as long as you use it to write some goals and make some notes about:

• what 2016 has brought
• what you hope 2017 will bring
• and what you will do to try and make it happen. 

I've ordered my planner and it hasn't arrived yet so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will arrive any minute!

So that's my NYE in a nutshell. Although this post is a little bit 'tongue in cheek' and I know that it's probably a lot of people's idea of hell, it works for me and it's what I'm sticking with.

Whatever you do - have fun, and stay safe!