Family-Friendly Activities for New Year's Day

People spend so much time planning New Year’s Eve revelry that they may not consider that they have another day on the holiday calendar to enjoy after the clock strikes 12. New Year’s Day activities may differ significantly from the countdowns and parties of the night before, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be equally enjoyable.

Chances are children are home from school for holiday breaks, meaning New Year’s Day activities should probably be family-friendly. Check out these family-friendly ways to spend New Year’s Day.

• Catch (or play) a football game. New Year’s Day and football go hand in hand, and families can likely find a game on television to enjoy together. Of course, it’s also fun to burn off a few New Year’s Eve calories by playing a game of football in the backyard on Jan. 1.

• Host a New Year’s Day meal. Give people plenty of time to recover from last nights’s antics by inviting neighbors or friends and their children over for a brunch, late lunch or early dinner. Potlucks are great for these occasions because no one will likely want to cook for a crowd.

• Enjoy a movie marathon. Spend the day in comfortable clothes and make a new family tradition. Select one movie for each family member to watch and then cue up the streaming service or dust off that DVD player. Use holiday mugs for hot cocoa and dig into any leftovers from holiday dinners. If a marathon at home isn’t up your alley, check out the showings at a nearby theater and enjoy an afternoon at the cinema.

• Take a hike. Enjoy the cold weather up close and personal with a hike in the brisk air. State parks or nearby nature preserves may not be busy on January 1, making them an even more relaxing respite.

• Tackle an organizational project. Get the whole family together and take on a project that has been pushed aside, such as organizing the garage or cleaning out the refrigerator.

• Volunteer with a local charity. Give back to the community and start off the new year on a positive note by volunteering as a family.

New Year’s Day presents an ideal opportunity to spend time together as a family.