How to Celebrate New Years Alone

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 30, 2022

New Year’s is a very exciting and optimistic holiday for many people. Usually, it is spent in the company of family and friends. However, New Year’s is also a great holiday to spend alone. There are many strategies for celebration and observance of the holiday that don’t require groups of friends and family, and you’ll still feel very connected to the celebration of the new year.

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Going Out to Celebrate

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Go to a restaurant or bar. Just because you’re alone doesn’t mean you should stay home. Put on your best outfit and head out for some adventure. Being alone can be an advantage on busy nights, considering single tables and bar seats are not usually as occupied. You could even make friends with a fellow solo celebrator.
- Tell a friend or family member you are headed out alone and perhaps even where you’re headed. Going out alone is exciting, but it can also be dangerous when the right precautions aren’t taken. Consider downloading an app like Companion, which notifies designated people of your location and/or that you’ve made it to your destination safely.
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Find a New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration. Many large cities produce fireworks shows for New Year’s celebrations that can be seen across their areas, and viewing is normally free! Research the one closest to you, pack up some snacks and drinks, and journey to the celebration. Even if you live in a colder climate, there are usually places to park and view the show from your car as well.
- Before watching the event, research music streaming apps with New Year’s themed stations. You can listen to it in your car or with headphones if you’re headed to the event on foot. This will add a lot of value to your viewing experience and set the celebratory mood.
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Plan a solo New Year’s vacation. More people than ever are researching traveling alone over the holidays.^{[1]
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Research source} This is the perfect time to pick a place you have always wanted to visit and do things you have always wanted to try without asking or planning with anyone else. Celebrating in a new area allows you to experience new traditions and cultures as well.
- If you want to add a little more spontaneity to your journey, you can plan a trip with surprise travel agencies like Pack Up + Go, which allow you to pick a budget and dates and the company plans a surprise trip for you. You learn where you’re going right before you leave for your trip!
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Staying in to Celebrate

Hunker down at home and celebrate with everything you love. Set out your favorite appetizers, pop some champagne, and watch celebrations all around the world from the TV in your living room. This is a great time to really treat yourself and buy items you normally don’t splurge on. Make sure to straighten up your home and set out any decorations you have. Even lighting some candles can elevate a space quickly.
While most of your family and friends are out on the town, you could be snatching up amazing post-holiday sale items. According to the Verizon Retail Index, retailers have been pushing sales through the New Year’s holiday to snag more customers before the holiday rush is over.^{[2]
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Research source} This means more sales for you! You can start your year with the freshest clothing styles and gadgets at lower prices.
While watching the celebrations unfold on your TV, you can enjoy the holiday with comfort and relaxation. Take a long bath and add oils, bubbles, salts, or bath bombs to make it a more luxurious experience. Whip up some homemade face or hair masks. Turn some relaxing music on you don’t normally take the time to listen to. These strategies will make the evening seem special and out of the ordinary, a perfect way to mark the coming new year.
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Watch the year’s most popular films. Many people take time at the end of the year to review the best movies of the year. It’s also a great way to educate yourself before award show season. With streaming services and discounted rental kiosks, there are many options for an affordable movie marathon to celebrate the year’s incredible work.
- If films are not one of your interests, you can also listen to the year’s most popular songs or watch the year’s most popular TV series.
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Getting Excited and Prepared for the New Year

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Write your resolutions. New Year’s is a wonderful time to take on new challenges and goals. However, over 90 percent of people don’t stick to them. ^{[3]
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Research source} For more success, experts say sharing your goals with friends and family as well as carving out time for progress are key. Try deciding on your biggest goal and sharing it on social media accounts. This will increase your level of commitment and accountability.
- Writing effective resolutions can be difficult, so allow yourself ample time to reflect on what changes you want to make.
- If writing personal goals doesn't sound appealing, some people write resolutions for specific areas of their lives. For example, there are a lot of common home-improvement resolutions people make that still have a large impact on their lives.^{[4]
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There are some tasks that make the year go smoothly if we take the time to complete them early on. Filling out calendars and planners with important dates, creating new budgets, and buying birthday and holiday cards to have on hand are tasks that are easy to complete and will make the coming year much more efficient.
This is a great time to focus on tasks that require a lot of time and attention, considering a lot of people will not be around to distract you. Sifting through paperwork, home improvement projects, and even returning to abandoned hobbies are great strategies for feeling very productive and successful before the start of a new year. This can also make room in your schedule and to-do list for any new resolutions or hobbies you’re planning to commit to.

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