5 Things To Do If You Are Home This New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve cannot be ignored. I mean, can any Eve be? But this one is special. Whether you are the kind who welcomes it with open arms, accepting all that it brings or someone who would have a tantrum fit that will put a toddler to shame then be alright with things changing. Or someone who is too cool to say it makes a difference. But the fact is that we all secretly have a little thought in our heads when the clock strikes twelve. A prayer, a wish, a desire to make the new year kinder and better than the one before. 

For some it’s a time to be grateful and for some to put a plan of action in place. For some it’s time to party and for some it’s time to stay home and introspect. I am the latter type. Stay at home and ponder (with or without a glass of wine in hand). 

When I asked some of my friends for ideas on what they would do if they were not going out, I got some really interesting suggestions. Nikhil Merchant shared a (rather naughty) recipe for a sexy fondue for two. Fashion journalist Prachi Raniwala had not one but two suggestions that include calling your friends over for a murder mystery party and if you are going solo, indulge in an all-day movie marathon. “Why restrict plans to just the evening. Turn the entire day into a movie marathon — the Harry Potter series or a classic rom-com binge would be my top choices,” she says. I would add the Die Hard series to my watch list as that’s what the husband and I did when we had just started dating. 

Shunali Khullar Shroff, author and co-host of the successful podcast “Not Your Aunty” keeps it simple if she’s not going out. “Sit around the Christmas tree with family or friends and enjoy cheese and red wine and a light dinner. Wake up early and meditate, pray, do pranayama and get ready to face the new year,” she says. Wise words. 

For me it’s increasingly becoming a time to slow down. A prayer of gratitude, squeezing all the furry babies, cooking a meal for two, ordering churros from my favourite (it is Soy Como Soy) and watching reruns of our favourite shows together. But here’s a list of 5 things that you can do if you are home this new year’s eve. Choose one or do them all – your New Year’s Eve, you make the rules. 

1. Call your friends way before midnight: Pick up the phone and call them. THAT lunch, dinner, catchup that you have been planning will take weeks (maybe months) but make that call now. Continue adding more of your buddies to the call. Trust me, everyone wants to connect. 
2. Play resolution roulette: Write a bunch of silly resolutions, pick one randomly and commit. Sounds silly but silly can be nice. We all know about how resolutions turn out. How about keeping it fun this year and doing something that will keep the child in you happy and guilt-free for not seeing the serious ones through. 
3. Write a letter to the year gone by: Sounds cathartic. That’s exactly what it is. Messy. Emotional. Rollercoaster. Let the year know how it made you feel. Sometimes acknowledgment is all we need. 
4. Cook a meal but make it special: Remember that one dish that reminds you of someone, or a memory that’s truly special. It can be something as simple as the noodles you ate at a dhaba way past midnight or try recreating a dish that blew your mind. Food is one of the most magical ways to feel connected to your roots and memories. Maybe get mum’s famous achaar started. 
5. Reflect on a list of firsts: You will be surprised to find out how much you achieved by doing something for the first time ever. Give yourself a pat on the back and continue.

Bonus: Squish your pets, your partner, your parents, anyone who is willing to be the recipient of heartwarming MMA-style hugs. 

Happy New Year folks! You did well.