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10 Ways To Create Meaningful Family Moments This New Year

Written by Dr. Dovbakh Olga Dmitrivna on Sat, 25 November 2023

Key Highlights

  • Family time can act as a great stress-reliever.
  • This can be good for your overall health and prove to be a great immune system support.
  • Here's a list of fun ideas you can do together as a family during year-end holidays.
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There is nothing better than starting the New Year than with the family. After all, a brand New Year is also the time for forgiveness, new beginnings, and a whole lot of love and cheer. But that's not all!

Why spending time with family is now more important than ever before?

Strengthening your family ties can actually help you relieve harmful levels of stress. Stress is known to negatively affect gut and heart function, insulin regulation, and the immune system.

The action of caring and supporting each other can even promote the release of stress-reducing hormones. This can be good for your overall health and prove to be a great immune system support.

So, begin the year by spending time with your family by playing games, eating and having fun. Oh yes, and by saving some money too by staying indoors most of the time! After all, the New year is a beautiful time to introduce some positive changes into your life.

Here are 10 new year celebration ideas for you to start the year in a fun and fruitful way.

1. A family that cooks together stays together

Some of us love cooking, some of us don't. But cooking with your entire family can become a party in itself! Not only is it a good way to delegate the work, it is also a brilliant way to bond with the family.

You can look for healthy recipes and ingredients that are easy to cook with and make delicious snacks and meals.

This way, a fun family activity can end up with you eating right throughout the holiday season. By the time you get into the New Year, you would have developed better eating and sleeping habits. What's not to love!

2. Clean slate and a clean house

We are all set to better ourselves as we head into the New Year. Then why not give your house a new look and make it New Year-ready too? Cleaning your house can not only get rid of germs and pests, it can actually form an excellent workout too! Not to mention, doing chores with family is way more fun than doing them all alone.

Turn cleaning the house into a competition. Playing games is a great incentive for an otherwise boring task. So what are you waiting for? Get set to dust off the cobwebs from your ceilings and start sweeping!

3. Ditch the bar-hop

You don't need us to remind you that alcohol and smoking is injurious to health. While an occasional glass of wine could be good for you, chugging on pitchers of beer is probably not the best idea.

Instead of hopping from one bar to the next, you can go visit the beautiful light shows and festive decorations in your neighborhood.

Get in the car with your family and drive around the familiar streets.

You could even make a bonfire in your yard or terrace (with proper precautions and permissions, of course).

4. Playing games that won't leave you bored

You might have fond memories of being victorious at a game of Uno when you were young. or bitter ones of being bested at Monopoly.

Even though you are a grown up now, who's to say board games can't be fun? Playing games is a great way to get in some good quality time.

Build a Jenga tower and watch it fall at the hands of your clumsy siblings.

Play a mind-boggling game of Trivial Pursuit with your parents. This is a great way to unleash the hidden competitiveness of your family members!

5. Sing, dance and sweat it out

Two things every celebration has in common are music and dance. Make your party all the more exciting with an exciting playlist that caters to everyone's choices.

Get everybody dancing and grooving to the music. Watch your dad break into his '70s dance moves. Head bang to the latest rock music with your mom. Just make sure you break a sweat.

This is also a great way to get some exercise while having fun! So, be ready to break the work from home cycle with a great workout from home routine!

6. A short trip to boost your mood

Each one of us experiences stress. Work stress, school stress, relationships stress-you name it, and you have it! Vacations are amazing stress-busters. And why not? Exotic beaches and scenic hill stations make for stunning change of space.

They help you clear your mind. They are also a great way to get closer to your family. You can indulge in fun activities such as adventure sports, nature walks, or just spend a quiet day by the pool self-introspecting.

So, even if you can't really take off on a long trip, organise a short trip with your family, and come back rejuvenated to take on the New Year with full gusto.

7. Roll on the floor laughing with a comedy movie

Time for a movie night! Get cozy and binge watch Holiday movies with your family. Heat a bag of popcorn to complete the movie experience.

It is a proven fact that watching funny videos can reduce your stress levels and can act as your immune system support. So let go of all your worries, sit back and enjoy a movie together.

8. Wake up relaxed-not hungover or tired

A good sleep is necessary for good health. It keeps our stress in control, provides immune system support and keeps us in a good mood.

So why start your new year all tired, cranky and hungover? Start your celebration early, and turn in at a reasonable time.

Wake up fresh and start the year rejuvenated. Get things done. Being productive on January 1st can set the tone for the remaining 364 days.

9. Enjoy a little me-time

Self-care can promote your mental, physical and overall well being. It can also improve our relationships with others. This new year, treat yourself and your family to spas and massages. This can help you unwind from stress. Plus, pampering yourselves once in a while doesn't really hurt, does it?

10. Begin the year with promises you intend to keep

We all know New Year's resolutions end up being futile most of the time. But what if you make the resolutions as a group? Here's a fun idea. You can set a common goal as a family. For instance, everyone loses 5 pounds or everyone works towards saving for a vacation. This way, you can keep each other motivated and make sure no one falls off the wagon.

When the whole family is involved in planning fun activities, you'll have more opportunities to experience special moments. After all, every moment together counts, so it is important you make the most of your family time with these perfect ideas.

 

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Dr. Dovbakh Olga Dmitrivna

Dr. Dovbakh Olga Dmitrivna is a Clinical Psychologist based out of Ukraine. She graduated from the Bukovinian State Medical University, Ukraine back in 2009. Driven by a thirst of knowledge and with a keen interest in matters of the mind, Dr. Dovbakh Olga Dmitrivna went back to University in 2021 to specialise in psychiatry.

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3 Comments

  1. Mwanshamba Mbwana

    Sun, 08 January 2023, 1 year ago

    I like it, thanks alote

    Reply
    • Caroline Akoth

      Wed, 28 December 2022, 1 year ago

      Thanks for the good information.

      Reply
      • Carolyn

        Mon, 09 January 2023, 1 year ago

        Thanks for the update.

        Reply
      • Fashola Kehinde

        Tue, 27 December 2022, 1 year ago

        Very exciting give more knowledge on keeping and uniting them together, so thank you doctor.

        Reply

        Leave a Comment

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        5. Mills J, et al. Exploring the meaning and practice of self-care among palliative care nurses and doctors: a qualitative study. BMC Palliat Care. 2018 Apr 18;17(1):63.
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        Our team of experts frequently monitors developments in the health and wellness field, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

        Current Version

        Nov, 25 2023

        Written By

        Dr. Dovbakh Olga Dmitrivna