Do you let your children stay up to see the new year in?

We let my daughter stay up as late as she can and when she falls asleep, we let her sleep for a while and then wake her up in time for the countdown (even though she was too young to have any idea what was going on, it's a time for family and we like to embed traditions early on). She's four and a half now and last year she made it to about ten, but I think she might make it to midnight this year. We spend the day with my sisters and their famiiles and have a special once-a-year 'junkfood dinner' on New Year's Eve: pretty much my sisters and I go out and buy the kids all the crap that they aren't allowed to eat much of during the rest of the year, take it home and put it all out in bowls on the table, and let them go crazy. It's a fun way to end the year and the sugar boost helps the kids stay awake longer, haha. And of course we do noise makers and the older kids can have sparklers. After the ball drops everyone runs outside to the porch and we scream and yell and make as much noise as possible. It's a great time. :)

Happy New Year!

My father was Scottish so we always celebrated Hogmanay at our house when I was little. We have never had a party for "first footong" though - we have parties for the fun of it!

I have been to some pretty crazy New Years Eve parties, so I love New Years Eve! Both my children stay up and we invite lots of people - usually about 20-30 adults and 15-20 children - round to our house/a friend's house. The kids have no problem staying up because there are so many other children around and they are having too much fun. The toddlers often fall asleep when they are hiding in games of hide-and-seek or sardines.

At 11 pm on New Years Eve, we all kiss someone that isn't our partner - the kids kiss someone who isn't their particular best friend on the cheek - and the adults kiss someone else's partner on the lips - no tongue! Then at midnight, we kiss our partner for those with partners/best friend for the kids and singles.

There is a party until 1, and then the kids go to bed. Some adults sleep over to look after the kids - someone always volunteers because they are too tired to party any longer. The rest of the adults go to someone else's house and have a proper party. The party ends at dawn and we all sleep until noon, before going back to our house to collect the kids. People usually stay until after dinner, so we cook a huge roast for everyone.

I guess the partying aspect of it will die down with time - we are only in our late twenties/early thirties at the moment - and it will become just a family affair. But at the moment it suits everyone.

I did if they wanted to.

Can't stop em these days :o)

Nah....I have only celebrated New Years a few times in my life. Never saw the point.

I sometimes watch the Rose Parade on New Years though.

Yes! Life is short, what better way to ring in the new year than with your children?!? Wake up the young ones....even just for the countdown :)

Yes, they are allowed at any age. They usually start making it to midnight at about age four. Its only one night a year, yes they sleep in a little the next day and can be a tad cranky, but its worth that special day. We go to a friends house for new years every year, we watch the ball drop and have our own ball drop at the same time (an old soccer ball covered in tinfoil). Then at midnight its a tradition that you have to kiss someone (on the cheek if your are a kid, usually a family member) and we give the kids sparklers to take outside. Weve considered going down to watch the real ball drop, since we live in NYC, but its too hectic and we have little kids.